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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27249433">Crescent Moon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Horatio_Jaxx/pseuds/Horatio_Jaxx'>Horatio_Jaxx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Olympic Coven Trilogy [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Twilight Series - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:06:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>63,163</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27249433</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Horatio_Jaxx/pseuds/Horatio_Jaxx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Cullens, post "Breaking Dawn," juggle the complications of their new notoriety, the curiosity of Bella's parents and the menace of an unforgiving Volturi.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edward Cullen/Bella Swan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Olympic Coven Trilogy [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022376</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Crisis of Conscience</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>What have I done? </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The vampire, Edward Cullen, had spent much of the past two months, flailing himself with that question.</p>
<p>           </p>
<p> <em>Why couldn't I have left Bella alone? If I had just gone away and disappeared, what's a hundred years to a vampire? She would have been long gone and forgotten, and everything would have gone back to the way it was.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Why can't I think of a way to fix this? If I and Bella, and Nessie were to leave, we would be abandoning Esme and Carlisle and my brothers and sisters to resolve the mess that I started and if we stay we obligate them to fend on our behalf.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Everyone that I care about, everyone that I love is living beneath a hazard of my creation. Even Bella, someone I condemned to share my curse, is living a life that may turn out to be far shorter than the one she would had had she remained mortal, and Nessie, I have fomented one catastrophe after the other. What penance can I pay to offset this cruel fate I foresee for her? </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>My daughter, how absurd is that, a vampire with a daughter? What terrible offense have I done to warrant this added punishment to this curse? Why has the god of my existence saw fit to bestow upon me a daughter that I might soon see killed? What horrible crime have I committed that requires me to be tormented so singularly?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I created this problem with my weakness and now everyone that I love is doomed to share in my crucifixion.</em>
</p>
<p>           </p>
<p>Edward Cullen was going into his third month of a depression that began the day the Volturi left the Olympic Peninsula. He learned something that day that no one else within his company had. He read the thoughts of the Volturi Coven as they retreated into the forest. He took comfort in Marcus' usual indifference to the outcome of that night's event, but Caius' rage at same shocked him. Caius did not care for the fact that his planned for entertainment was thwarted by a lot of talk. The humiliation of backing away from his prey as if they were somehow a threat to him enraged him like no event had within the past one-hundred years. Edward discerned from Caius' thoughts that he and his family had risen to the front of the line of vampires to be cowed and subjugated by him.</p>
<p>Normally this alone would not have made Edward so uneasy. He was accustomed to the ruthlessness of Caius' thoughts and his callous disregard for everyone outside of his own person. What had made Edward so depressed were Aro's thoughts.</p>
<p>Edward had only caught a brief portion of Aro's thinking. He successfully guarded his thoughts during most of their time in that clearing. As the Volturi started to slip away into the distance, he dropped his guard and allowed Edward a brief glimpse into the mind of the Volturi vampire whose assessments and disposition carried the greatest sway among the leading three of the coven.</p>
<p>Edward had peered into Aro's mind before and was not expecting any shocking revelations from this encounter. He always perceived him as a pragmatic and calculating thinker who was not inclined to allow sympathetic or adverse feelings to interfere with his judgment. His primary concerns were always for what was best for him. The thoughts that Aro was thinking at that time were laced with an emotion he had never known to exist in his mind before, fear.</p>
<p>Aro saw Carlisle and his family as a threat of the highest order. For him, the decimation of this threat was paramount to all other considerations and objectives. Edward could read from Aro's mind that he was fearful of not being in control. During that brief time that he was able to hear his thoughts, Edward was able to sense that this condition was terrifying to him. It illuminated a side of Aro that Edward had not known existed until then. Aro was driven, by a fear of dying, to suppress all threats to his dominion. Even as his thoughts were fading away into the distance, Edward could hear Aro plotting the eradication of the Olympic Coven of vampires.</p>
<p>Aro's calculating thoughts for the demise of the Olympic Coven were the impetus behind Edward's depression. He knew that it was a combination of factors that convinced Aro to forgo any direct action at the clearing two months earlier. The fact that Bella's talents made open combat the only avenue available and the fact that there were witnesses, who would likely circulate negative reports of the event, were his greatest concerns. Aro calculated into his thinking that a more subtle approach might yield profits for his coven. Aro had little doubt that he and his coven could overpower them with their numerical advantage and Edward had no doubt of this at all.</p>
<p>It was not as if there was any great mystery here, every vampire there could see the Volturi's advantage. Despite the overconfidence of the Quileute shape-shifters, from the standpoint of the vampires they were merely a complication and not an obstacle. Edward knew that Aro chose to avoid this complication rather than risk an unforeseen outcome. Aro calculated that doing so would also provide him with an opportunity to look benevolent. Despite this artifice, Edward knew that Aro would complete this task just as soon as he comprised a means for doing so that mitigated these complications and unfavorable side effects.</p>
<p>Edward confided what he read from Aro's mind with the rest of the family three days after that night in the forest clearing. Renesmee was excluded from this briefing. Edward arranged for her to be entertained by Jacob that afternoon so that the rest of the family could openly discuss their futures outside of earshot of her. Eleazar, Carmen, Kate and Tanya left that morning for their home in Alaska and were absent, as well. They were the last of the allies and witnesses of the Cullens to leave. Edward intentionally delayed reporting on Aro's thoughts until after they had left for fear of goading them into sharing their peril.  </p>
<p>"He's not done with us," Edward confided in the living room of the Cullen's home. "I heard Aro's thoughts as he left. The Volturi will make a move against us."</p>
<p>"When are they coming?" Jasper asked quickly.</p>
<p>"I don't know," Edward responded calmly.</p>
<p>"Then how do you know that they're coming?" Jasper quickly queried back.</p>
<p>"Because, in Aro's mind, we are a threat he is determined to destroy."</p>
<p>All eyes wandered towards Carlisle for his reaction to this revelation. He took it calmly and without any sign that he was surprised by anything he heard.</p>
<p>"Well they can't be coming now," Alice spoke up. "I would have had a vision if they were."</p>
<p>"I know," Edward responded softly. "But they are coming, and I thought you all should know."</p>
<p>Sensing Edward's remorse Bella entwined about his arm and snuggled up to him. "What did we do now?" She queried out loud.</p>
<p>"We exist," Edward responded somberly.</p>
<p>"So, he just wants to kill us all?" Emmett pondered boisterously.</p>
<p>"If given no other choice, I think so," Edward countered blandly.</p>
<p>Carlisle continued to look indifferent to everything he heard. Esme, standing right beside him, looked very much the opposite.</p>
<p>"What's that supposed to mean?" Rosalie questioned Edward directly.</p>
<p>"I think Aro would be willing to spare some of us if not all if he could convince Alice to join his coven."</p>
<p>Alice had no response to this. Esme was quick to fill the silence.</p>
<p>"This is about Alice?"</p>
<p>"This is about all of us," Edward countered quickly. "Aro would love to add me, Bella and Alice most of all to his collection of servile vampires."</p>
<p>"What makes him think that I would ever choose to be a loyal member of his mass murdering coven?" Alice questioned no one in particular.</p>
<p>Edward was suddenly distracted by a stray thought from Carlisle.</p>
<p>
  <em>Blood.</em>
</p>
<p>Carlisle quickly checked his thoughts and steered his thinking away from things he did not want Edward to hear. This was a depth of control that was not uncommon for vampires, but it did nothing to abate Edwards curiosity about the thought or the anger behind it. He directed his next remark directly at Carlisle in the hope of breaking free more information about it.</p>
<p>"Aro is especially angry at you Carlisle. He feels that you are in his way. Marcus seems to be intrigued with you as well, and with Esme."</p>
<p>Carlisle responded to the remark without betraying any guarded thoughts.</p>
<p>"Aro is a collector of gifted vampires. He no doubt sees me as the glue that is holding us together."</p>
<p>Carlisle directed his next statement to the family as a whole.</p>
<p>"Edward is right. The Volturi would likely have no reason to harm the rest of you if they can add Alice, Edward and Bella to their number."</p>
<p>"You're saying we should just hand ourselves over to the Volturi?" Alice asked in an incredulous tone.</p>
<p>"I'm saying it's a decision you each need to make on your own," Carlisle responded softly.</p>
<p>Alice turned to look at Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper in turn.</p>
<p>"Don't you do it," Rosalie instructed sternly.</p>
<p>"Hell, we chased the Volturi off once. We can do it again." Emmett added confidently.</p>
<p>"No, you won't. Not the next time," Carlisle corrected somberly.</p>
<p>The Cullens looked across at each other, looking from one to the other with concerned expressions.</p>
<p>"So, you're saying that the only way to save ourselves is to break up the family," Esme expressed in a desperate voice.</p>
<p>"Yes," Carlisle confirmed.</p>
<p>"No," Edward contradicted an instant later.</p>
<p>The whole family looked to Edward for an explanation. Edward was slow to respond to this silent query.</p>
<p>"Nothing we do will save Carlisle from Aro's wrath."</p>
<p>All eyes turned to Carlisle. He looked away, in turn.</p>
<p>"You knew," Esme questioned in an astonished tone.</p>
<p>"My destiny was constructed long before any of you came into being. This has nothing to do with you."</p>
<p>"But it's my decision," Alice spoke up defiantly, "and they come after you, Carlisle, through me."</p>
<p>Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, were quick to concur. Bella followed in turn with a soft, "I won't let them hurt you, Carlisle."</p>
<p>"I have lived a long-life Bella," Carlisle quickly countered. "Yours is just beginning. Don't throw your future away for me. Think of Nessie. Think of your parents."</p>
<p>"I won't stand by and do nothing while someone does harm to you, Carlisle," Bella spoke sternly.</p>
<p>Carlisle accepted this response grudgingly.</p>
<p>Edward looked to Bella with an expression of sorrow before turning to Carlisle with a serious one.</p>
<p>"You know me, Carlisle. I go where Bella goes."</p>
<p>Carlisle accepted this with an affirmative nod and then turned to his wife, Esme. She, in turn, pressed up against his chest before speaking.</p>
<p>"You gave me this life, Carlisle, after I threw myself off a cliff. I'm only here because you're in it. Without you I don't want it anymore."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Growing Pains</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the following eight weeks little happened of any significance for the Cullens. Alice kept the Volturi in her thoughts to heighten her sensitivity to any plans they set into motion regarding them. She detected no impending harm coming towards them, but she did feel their muses, which told her that the Cullens were very much in the thoughts of the Volturi.</p>
<p>Alice's involuntary visions gave her glimpses of events that were in the making that were likely to occur. These visions were always about something destined to have a significant effect on her either directly or indirectly. She could also induce voluntary visions by thinking about a specific person or persons. These divinations were at first vague and often came as multiple simultaneous visions. Subsequently, the overwhelming majority of them were not likely to come to pass. They only became clear when they transitioned into an event that was certain to transpire if left alone to do so. They were always about her or someone of importance to her, and the vast majority of them were of no significance. As a rule, Alice stayed away from these blurry, abstract, collages simply because she had no use for them. She much preferred to wait for a significant vision to slam into her with crystal clarity. The only value she garnered from monitoring individuals was that it enabled her to tabulate how often she or the people she cared the most for were being thought about, and to divine impending significant events much sooner than she would have if she had waited.</p>
<p>Despite Edwards's dire prediction eight weeks earlier, the Cullens managed to settle into non-eventful routines. Carlisle returned to his profession as a physician for the community of Forks while his family made themselves scarce from same. They did this by seeking diversions within the forest about their home. The added presence of Bella and Nessie contributed enormously to their amusement, as well. Exposing the newly formed vampire and vampire/human hybrid to the freedoms and delights that came with their new existence was a near constant form of entertainment for the family.</p>
<p>The Cullens were particularly fond of finding ways to engage Renesmee in play. Looking all of eight years of age, the little human/vampire hybrid was only a third as capable as her vampire relations. The Cullens were not dissuaded from including her in their physical activities because of this limitation. They simply slowed to keep pace with her. Playing with the only adolescent member of the family was always the highpoint of their day. The Olympic Coven of vampires were loathed to waste any time frolicking with their fast-growing little miracle.</p>
<p>This time was also exploited as an opportunity to teach Bella some of the finer points of hand to hand combat. When they were not running through the forest, or playing baseball, the Cullens could be found at home indulging in one of the numerous hobbies that they collected over the years. Assimilating the ever changing fads, fashions and pastimes of the mortals along with their social, cultural and technological transitions was a near fulltime practice for any vampire so inclined to do so.</p>
<p>Without some idea what, when, or where, something was going to happen with the Volturi, the Cullens could think of nothing to do to either prevent or prepare for this event. So they settled back into their old life. This calm that they were going through was not being enjoyed by everyone they knew. The Quileute shape-shifting wolf pack was experiencing a growing unease that stemmed back to the Cullen's encounter with the Volturi. Their successful standoff had made the Cullens a kind of celebrity within the vampire world and their new popularity was attracting more vampires to the peninsula.</p>
<p>"I'm telling you there are now at least twenty new vampires roaming around somewhere in Clallam County," Jacob insisted forcefully to the collection of Cullens standing before him.</p>
<p>Carlisle and family were assembled in their living-room listening to Jacob Black's litany of woe for the second time in as many weeks.</p>
<p>"This is getting real serious guys," Jacob continued to press.</p>
<p>"You told us this already," Emmett spoke up in an incredulous tone.</p>
<p>"You told me that these transient vampires would leave," Jacob fired back in an accusing tone.</p>
<p>"Listen Jacob," Carlisle spoke up in a calming tone. "There is nothing for them here. They know this is our territory. Vampires don't make trouble in another coven's province."</p>
<p>"Oh yeah," Jacob spoke sarcastically. "Is that like one dog won't let another dog eat from his bowl?"</p>
<p>"Watch it mutt!" Rosalie angrily jumped in.</p>
<p>Alice and Emmett shared in Rosalie's annoyance with his remark and leaned forward with an angry scowl.</p>
<p>"You're the only dog here," Alice spat out.</p>
<p>Emmett let out a low growl that Jacob countered. The rest of the Cullens looked on unperturbed. Edward appeared almost oblivious to what was being said, this was because his mind was also processing everything that was not being said.</p>
<p>"Listen Jacob," Carlisle spoke as he stepped between Jacob and his family. "We're sorry about the new vampires, but they're not hurting anyone."</p>
<p>"Like hell they're not!" Jacob fired back forcefully.</p>
<p>"What does that mean?" Carlisle quickly questioned.</p>
<p>"He thinks a vampire is responsible for the two missing hikers in Jefferson County," Edward answered ahead of Jacob.</p>
<p>"We don't think; we know." Jacob corrected in a definitive tone.</p>
<p>"How do you know?" Jasper queried quickly.</p>
<p>Jacob simply turned to Jasper and tapped his nose with his finger to demonstrate his answer.</p>
<p>"Why should we care about what happens in another county?" Emmett questioned in a surprised tone.</p>
<p>Esme quickly admonished him with a sharp call of his name, "Emmett."</p>
<p>"When was the last time you saw Vernon?" Jacob asked Emmett with a point of his finger.</p>
<p>"Who's that?" Esme quickly queried the group.</p>
<p>"He's an old bum who camps out on the edge of town," Rosalie responded with a hint of disgust. "He likes to philosophize. The high-school kids like to humor him sometimes for their amusement."</p>
<p>"What about him?" Emmett asked in a cavalier voice.</p>
<p>"We ran across his trail in the forest; traced it back to his camp. There was a vampire with him," Jacob continued softly to emphasize this part, "and there was blood on the trail."</p>
<p>After a pause Carlisle spoke up for the family. "I didn't know about this."</p>
<p>"Nobody knows," Jacob rifled back, "nobody except us wolves. We've been running a wide circuit about this county ever since the first new vampires started showing up, and I'm telling you there would have been more if we hadn't been there to run them off a couple of times. You guys need to start taking this serious."</p>
<p>Carlisle quickly turned to study Edward who he noted was intensely watching Jacob.</p>
<p>"You're overreacting," Rosalie quickly jumped in with a point of her finger.</p>
<p>"Oh yeah, Blondie," Jacob fired back with an angry look? "Well how's this for overreacting? My pack is talking about going on the warpath."</p>
<p>Bella quickly jumped in after hearing this. "Jacob, you can't let them go after the vampires. They'll get hurt."</p>
<p>"You're not getting this," an astonished Jacob responded.</p>
<p>"Getting what, dog breath?" Rosalie angrily put in.</p>
<p>"The Quileutes are thinking about revoking the treaty," Edward announced softly.</p>
<p>"And if that happens all you bloodsuckers are going to start smelling alike," Jacob quickly punctuated.</p>
<p>"Hey, you can't trash the treaty. We haven't done anything." Emmett challenged with an amazed expression.</p>
<p>"Yeah, well, you tell that to my pack."</p>
<p>"They wouldn't come after us, would they?" Bella queried softly.</p>
<p>"I don't know Bella," Jacob responded with sincerity. "Hey, I like you guys. You know I do, and so does Seth, and so do a few others in the pack, but deep down you're the enemy. You're the reason we're here. So, if you can do something about this you better do it now, or all hell is going to break loose."</p>
<p>"Okay Jacob," Carlisle calmly spoke up. "Tell Sam and the others that we'll take care of it."</p>
<p>"You will?" Jacob responded with an astonished expression.</p>
<p>An instant later Jacob and Renesmee shared a brief hopeful smile.</p>
<p>"Yeah, ask them to give us a couple of weeks to sort it out."</p>
<p>"Two weeks," Jacob gleefully announced while holding up two fingers. "Okay, I'll tell them."</p>
<p>Jacob quickly backed away and exited the house. He was eager to report this meeting back to the pack.</p>
<p>After Jacob left, the Cullens quickly closed the half circle they were in.</p>
<p>"So now we're supposed to run off a bunch of nomadic vampires," Rosalie queried in an exasperated tone of voice.</p>
<p>"Maybe they'll leave if we ask them to," Esme pondered out loud.</p>
<p>"I doubt it," Jasper countered. "I'm sure most of them are here because they think the Volturi have no authority here."</p>
<p>"So we don't ask. We tell." Emmett threw out in a matter of fact way.</p>
<p>"Great, so I'm supposed to spend the rest of the summer chasing off transient vampires who are in hiding from the Volturi?" Alice questioned sarcastically.</p>
<p>"We can't let the Quileute get into a war with vampires," Esme softly lectured.</p>
<p>All eyes turned to Carlisle who was quietly listening to this exchange. After a moment of thought, he turned to Edward.</p>
<p>"What aren't we hearing?"</p>
<p>Edward looked to Bella and then back to Carlisle before answering.</p>
<p>"Charlie is asking questions."</p>
<p>Bella became noticeably alarmed by this statement.</p>
<p>"About what," Carlisle questioned back.</p>
<p>"The cat and mouse game that's been going on between the shape-shifters and these transient vampires..."</p>
<p>"How does he know about that?" Esme quickly interjected.</p>
<p>"They've been seen by some of the locals. Charlie is getting calls."</p>
<p>"Oh, that's great. What happens if a mortal gets a picture of a vampire and a giant wolf fighting?" Rosalie spoke up with disgust.</p>
<p>"We can't let that happen," Carlisle quickly countered. "Is there anything else we should know?"</p>
<p>"He's also been asking questions about us," Edward answered.</p>
<p>"Charlie knows not to ask questions," Bella spoke up in a worried voice.</p>
<p>"He just wants us to think that he's not asking questions," Edward corrected.</p>
<p>"Jacob would have told me that Charlie was inquiring about us," Bella insisted.</p>
<p>"Jacob doesn't want us to know. He's afraid that we might leave with Nessie."</p>
<p>Bella immediately discerned the logic of this and was suddenly lost for words.</p>
<p>"What does he know?" Carlisle questioned.</p>
<p>"I don't think he knows anything yet," Edward reported. "The last time he was here he still seemed very curious about us. He suspects that we're supernatural somehow. I think he's been trying to get answers out of Billie."</p>
<p>"Do you think he'll go public if he finds out?" Carlisle questioned.</p>
<p>"I don't know," Edward responded. "But he won't do anything that will hurt Bella and until he finds out everything, he's content to just snoop around."</p>
<p>"Charlie knows that Bella is happy. He won't do anything to jeopardize that," Esme assured.</p>
<p>"Charlie doesn't trust us with Bella's safety, and he doesn't trust Bella's judgment with regards to us," Edward corrected.</p>
<p>"I'll go and have a talk with him," Bella blandly communicated to the family.</p>
<p>"You won't have too," Edward responded. "He's coming to talk to us, tonight."</p>
<p>Edward explained to the family that Jacob was thinking this but did not tell them because he promised Charlie that he would not.</p>
<p>"He wants to catch us off guard and unprepared."</p>
<p>He also explained that Jacob was worried about this meeting.</p>
<p>"He believes that Charlie is tired of not knowing."</p>
<p>"Charlie knows that the shape-shifters are doing something in the forest," Edward continued. "Sam and Jacob have already confessed to that. Charlie just doesn't know what's going on, but he suspects it involves us."</p>
<p>"So, he's coming here for answers," Carlisle questioned?</p>
<p>"Just as soon as he gets off work," Edward answered back.</p>
<p>"We don't need this now," Rosalie insisted. "The Volturi are already looking for reasons to take off our heads."</p>
<p>"I'll talk to him," Bella quickly put in.</p>
<p>"I don't think he's going to be satisfied with just talking to you Bella," Edward replied softly. "In Jacob's mind, Charlie was very upset."</p>
<p>All eyes lingered on Carlisle for a moment as he pondered the situation.</p>
<p>"Okay, we'll talk with Charlie."</p>
<p>
  <strong>********************</strong>
</p>
<p>The sun had set not more than an hour prior to when Charlie's car rolled up in front of the Cullen's house. Charlie shut down the engine, jumped out of the vehicle and raced up the front stairs to the house like a man on a mission. As soon as he got to the front door it was opened for him.</p>
<p>"Hi Charlie, come on in."</p>
<p>Esme ushered Charlie through the vestibule and into the living-room where the rest of the family was waiting, minus Renesmee. She was in Edward's old upstairs bedroom listening despite Bella's instructions to do otherwise.</p>
<p>In the living-room, the Cullens were seated about the room in every available seat except for the upholstered chair that was positioned closes to the entry way from the vestibule. Esme quickly offered that seat to Charlie before seating herself on the sofa next to Carlisle. Seated at the opposite end of the room from Charlie's chair were Bella and Edward and seated along the front window opposite Esme and Carlisle were Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett. The chairs they occupied were brought in from other rooms.</p>
<p>The preparation for this meeting did not miss the notice of Charlie. He stood for a moment to study Bella, and then the Cullens as a whole, before taking a seat himself.</p>
<p>"I see Jacob told you I was coming even though he promised me that he wouldn't."</p>
<p>"Jacob told us that you had some concerns about things going on in the forest," Carlisle responded politely. "We inferred from that conversation that you would be paying us a visit."</p>
<p>"And why would you infer that?" Charlie questioned pointedly.</p>
<p>"Given our association with the Quileute it only seemed natural that you would assume that we might have some information regarding these events," Carlisle answered calmly. "I can tell you right now we have nothing to add to what you have already been told."</p>
<p>Is that right, Bells?" Charlie questioned Bella in a stern voice.</p>
<p>"Yes Dad."</p>
<p>Charlie and Bella exchanged stares for a moment. After a short time, Charlie resigned himself to the fact that Bella was not going to say anything different.</p>
<p>"Great, that's just great. Over the past week I've had a dozen people call in with reports of ghosts and monsters running through the forest around Forks. I have an entire community that is scared to go outside at night and the people who are most likely to know what the hell is going on has nothing to say."</p>
<p>"I'm sure these sightings will stop soon," Carlisle assured.</p>
<p>"Oh really," Charlie countered in an annoyed tone. "Do you think this will happen before people start disappearing?"</p>
<p>Carlisle gave Charlie his best I do not understand look. Charlie did not wait for a verbal response before countering this.</p>
<p>"Oh, haven't you heard about the two missing hikers in Jefferson County? They've had a few unusual sightings, too. Not as many as we've had up here, but then we haven't had anyone go missing...yet. So, what does that make us...lucky? Or is this just the quiet before the storm?"</p>
<p>After a pause to ponder, the Cullens began sharing surreptitious glances at one another. This too did not escape the notice of Charlie.</p>
<p>"Okay look, I know we have this don't ask, don't tell crap going on here, but this is not going to fly when it interferes with my job." Charlie was speaking sternly to everyone in the room. "Protecting this community is my job, and I will not sit back and play ignorant to whatever the hell is going on here."</p>
<p>Charlie paused to give Bella a straight on stare.</p>
<p>"Not even for you Bells."</p>
<p>After a brief silence Charlie elected to speak again.</p>
<p>"Okay, let me just ask a question here. Bells, it was you who told me that giant wolves were attacking hikers, and now Jacob is insisting that is not so. Which is it?"</p>
<p>"I was wrong, Dad," Bella answered in a defending tone. "The wolves weren't responsible for the missing hikers then or now."</p>
<p>Carlisle quickly inserted himself here before Charlie could speak again.</p>
<p>"The wolves are the reason there hasn't been any attacks around Forks, and they are also the reason you're getting so many mysterious sightings. The Quileute tribe and their shape-shifting guardians have been defending this region from supernatural threats for hundreds of years."</p>
<p>"Shape-shifters," Charlie enunciated in a questioning tone?</p>
<p>"Yes," Carlisle answered.</p>
<p>"And exactly what is this supernatural threat?"</p>
<p>The room went quiet and still. Eyes again shifted back and forth from person to person. Charlie studied this reaction.</p>
<p>"We can't tell you that," Carlisle spoke up after a short time.</p>
<p>"You mean you won't," Charlie fired back.</p>
<p>"It's dangerous for you to know too much," Carlisle insisted.</p>
<p>Charlie sat back and studied the Cullens for a few seconds before speaking again in a frank voice.</p>
<p>"Who are you people, and what have you gotten my daughter involved in?"</p>
<p>"We love Bella," Esme quickly insisted.</p>
<p>"If you loved her, you would have left her alone," Charlie rifled back.</p>
<p>"No Dad!" Bella nearly shouted as she rose to her feet a little too quickly.</p>
<p>Charlie was briefly alarmed by the speed of Bella's reaction. A second later he dismissed it in his mind as an optical illusion.</p>
<p>"This is all my doing, Dad," Bella pleaded.</p>
<p>Edward rose to his feet to stand by Bella's side.</p>
<p>"No, it's not." Edward contradicted. "This is my fault Chief Swan. My family had nothing to do with it."</p>
<p>"To do with what," Charlie demanded at nearly a shout? "What have you gotten my daughter into?"</p>
<p>"Dad, please, we can't tell you this," Bella continued to plead. "Believe me, this is where I want to be. I love Edward, and I love my new family. If I had it to do all again, I wouldn't change a thing."</p>
<p>Charlie resigned himself to the idea that this was the best he was going to get regarding this subject. He then turned to Carlisle with a new question.</p>
<p>"So, when will I know that it's safe for hikers to be in the forest? I've got officers working overtime around the clock."</p>
<p>"I don't know," Carlisle responded delicately.</p>
<p>Bella and Edward retook their seats as Carlisle spoke.</p>
<p>"But I'd like to make a suggestion," Carlisle continued.</p>
<p>Charlie paused to give Carlisle a look that said he was intrigued.</p>
<p>"Okay, what's that?" Charlie questioned suspiciously.</p>
<p>"If there is another sighting or if someone should go missing or turn up dead, I want you to call Alice."</p>
<p>"Alice?" Charlie repeated with a questioning tone coupled with a surprised inflection. He looked over at Alice to find her smiling and nodding in the affirmative at him.</p>
<p>"Yes, call Alice as soon as you can," Carlisle repeated.</p>
<p>"And tell me everything you know," Alice quickly inserted. "I'll need that information."</p>
<p>"Why?" Charlie inquired in a puzzled tone of voice.</p>
<p>"Alice is in-charge of lost people around here," Emmett jokingly spoke up. "It's her job to catalogue the recently deceased."</p>
<p>Alice and Esme gave Emmett a scolding look while Rosalie did everything she could to control her laughter.</p>
<p>Not wanting Charlie to think this a joke, Bella quickly jumped in to undo the damage caused by Emmett's humorous remark.</p>
<p>"Yes Dad, call Alice the minute you hear anything."</p>
<p>"Oh, and don't be afraid to yell at her," Rosalie laughingly put in. "She really likes it when you yell at her."</p>
<p>Esme gave Rosalie a quick "stop that" look.</p>
<p>Charlie took a minute to study the Cullens before looking to Carlisle.</p>
<p>"What good will this do?"</p>
<p>"It'll help. Trust me."</p>
<p>Charlie then looked across at Bella. She softly smiled back at him and nodded her head in the affirmative</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Dangerous Lessons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It did not take long for the impromptu warning system that Carlisle setup to begin paying off with real results. Alice got her first vision of Charlie calling her the next day. The vision foretold of a future sighting of several oversized wolves pursuing a lone figure that was only briefly glimpsed running through the forest. The location, time and direction of travel were additional information that she gathered from this vision.</p>
<p>Alice quickly passed this information on to the family. Emmett, Jasper, and Edward intercepted the vampire interloper and convinced him to leave the region. As the ruling coven of vampires within the Olympic Peninsula, the Cullens used the threat of death to convince the transient to remove himself from their domain.</p>
<p>Over the next two weeks, the Cullens had three more occasions to intercept a wandering vampire looking to feed upon someone within their domain. By the end of this time, there were only a handful of transient vampires meandering about in the forest outside of Forks. The message quickly circulated within the vampire community that to feed upon a human within a half day's run of Forks, at vampire speed, was punishable by death and that the Olympic Coven was the enforcer of same. Over the course of these two weeks, most of the transient vampires chose to leave rather than risk the displeasure of the Cullens, and those that remained seemed equally determined to stay in their good graces.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Five days had passed since Alice's last vision. The entire family was beginning to believe that the crisis that had been brewing between them and the Quileute shape-shifters was over. Sam, Leah and a few others within the pack did not like it that they were still cutting across unfamiliar vampire trails, now and again. They could not, however, argue with the fact that the frequency was far less than two weeks earlier and that these remaining vampires seemed completely disinterested in foraging for human prey.</p>
<p>Charlie had no complaints about the new state of affairs either. Reports of strange sightings stopped the day after his talk with the Cullens and the entire community of Forks appeared to have become more relaxed about the forest. Minus the sudden disappearance of Vernon Caldwell, a well known vagrant, Chief Swan had no suspicious events to commit his officers to and the investigation of Vernon Caldwell's disappearance was of little note to the residents of Forks. Nearly everyone who knew Vernon expected him to end up face down in the forest eventually, and those who did not know him thought nothing of his disappearance.</p>
<p>On the morning of the sixth day, since Alice's last vision, Edward and Bella had plans to hunt and explore within the forest. Bella had an ulterior motive behind her push for this outing for them. Her usually subdued husband had become increasingly sullen and distant over the past few weeks, and all her attempts in the past to draw him out had no effect. She hoped that a day free from the business of the family would be the cure for this resistance.</p>
<p>The activities of the past few weeks made shared time for just the two of them a rare event. Alice's visions of impending collisions between mortals and immortals usually occurred twenty-four hours, more or less, ahead of the event. Because her vision slate was clear for this day, as it had been for the past five days, Edward and Bella were confident that the family could afford to be without their presence. As a precaution against an unforeseen event, they took with them a satellite phone. Of late, this was standard issue for any member or segment of the family that separated from the whole.</p>
<p>Bella and Edward spent much of the morning enjoying the wonders of the forest. Bella's new found senses were a constant amazement to her. She was perpetually waiting for the novelty of her new condition to wear off.</p>
<p> “How long will this feeling of euphoria last?” Bella questioned.</p>
<p> “The sensation will never go away,” Edward answered. “But you will get use to it.”</p>
<p> “This is incredible.”</p>
<p> “Your senses are a thousand times more acute then they were when you were mortal.”</p>
<p> “It’s not just what I see, hear, or smell. It's as if I can feel the universe around me, and my mind seems to be processing it all simultaneously.”</p>
<p> “You’re not just stronger, Bella. You’re better in every way.”</p>
<p>"I don't know if I could ever get bored of this, sensing the world around me. It's almost as if the day to day business of life has become a distraction. My mind latches on to some new sensation, sound, smell and then the next thing I know an hour has passed."</p>
<p>"We call that time shifting," Edward explained. "Your brain is capable of accelerating or decelerating your perception of the world around you. When we accelerate our perception of the world, physical activity becomes exhilarating, the faster the activity the better."</p>
<p>"Like playing baseball," Bella questioned with a smile."</p>
<p>"Among other things," Edward acknowledges with a nod. "Being a vampire means having a near limitless supply of energy. We don't physically tire of things like mortals, but we do bore of things all the time. We all keep dozens of hobbies that we rotate through and add and delete from constantly. For us, the world is an endless adventure, and we simply move from one to the next."</p>
<p>"When does the mystery stop?" Bella asked in a curious tone.</p>
<p>"I'll let you know when that happens."</p>
<p>"So what's going on when I slow my brain down?"</p>
<p>"Do you feel the bliss?" Edward asked with a smile.</p>
<p>"Yes," Bella countered with delight.</p>
<p>"When you decelerate your perception of reality it is almost as if you're standing still and the world is racing by. Whole days, or even weeks can slip by with little more than a glancing notice from our conscious mind. The sensation is euphoric. It's our version of sleep. It's like a trance that enables us to see patterns and sense rhythms in the world around us. It's also the only time that our imaginations are capable of taking flight."</p>
<p>"I hadn't noticed that," Bella exclaimed in a curious tone. She then took a moment to examine her memories. Shortly she spoke again in a confused tone.</p>
<p>"Why is that?"</p>
<p>"I think it's because our brain is moving too fast any other time. We're too busy processing and cataloging multiple sensations simultaneously, or at least that's what normal vampires are doing."</p>
<p>"What does that mean," Bella queried with a hint of curiosity.</p>
<p>"I don't know what your mind is doing. You're an endless mystery for me."</p>
<p>"Does that bother you?" Bella asked coyly.</p>
<p>"Yes and no."</p>
<p>"Why yes and no?"</p>
<p>"Vampires are just like mortals when it comes to their private thoughts. They're uncomfortable with the idea of someone rummaging around in their heads. I would hate to see you uncomfortable around me."</p>
<p>"But it makes you uncomfortable not hearing my thoughts," Bella pried.</p>
<p>"It has taken some getting used to," Edward countered with a smile. "A person's thoughts can be as attractive as their persona."</p>
<p>"Then maybe it's better that you can't hear my thoughts," Bella responded with a laugh. "You might be disappointed."</p>
<p>"I doubt that," Edward bandied with a smile. "You already gave me a glimpse, and I like what I saw."</p>
<p>Bella returned his smile with a slight blush. After a brief pause, she then decided to deflect the conversation away from her.</p>
<p>"Do vampires think differently than humans?"</p>
<p>"Unlike humans, vampires are expert at focusing their thoughts," Edward lectured. "Most of the time all I hear is the garbage they don't care if I know about."</p>
<p>"Garbage like what," an intrigued Bella queried.</p>
<p>"When you lift your arm, turn your head or take a step you think those actions first, and I can read that. Things like that are right on the surface of your mind. Emotions and contemplations are buried beneath the surface. Vampires are very good at keeping these thoughts contained, unlike humans."</p>
<p>"But you can still read these thoughts in vampires," Bella stated with a questioning inflection.</p>
<p>"Yes, but only when they're distracted, or upset about something, or actually talking about that particular subject."</p>
<p>"I use to wonder how it was that the rest of the family was able to tolerate you."</p>
<p>"When Rosalie was a newborn vampire she was perpetually infuriated with me," Edward reported with a laugh. "It took her a little while to figure out that when she was calm and focused her secrets were inaccessible to me."</p>
<p>Bella laughed at this, as well, before spinning around to pan the forest about her. "I now understand why vampires like being outdoors so much, it's intoxicating."</p>
<p>"I promise you, Bella, it will never grow old. Life is an endless maze of wonders when your mind and body are receptive enough to process them."</p>
<p>"Now I understand how you're able to endure high school over and over again. The day to day world of mortals is just a minor distraction. You sleep walk your way through it."</p>
<p>"More or less," Edward responded with a smile. "Sometimes the misadventures of teenage mortals can be diverting."</p>
<p>Bella was just about to give her husband a loving embrace when the satellite phone that Edward was carrying began to ring. Edward quickly answered the phone and was instantly startled by what he heard. It was a one-sided conversation, and it was brief. A few seconds into the call he disconnected and looked to Bella with a startled expression. He did not have to be able to read her mind to know that she heard everything that had been said.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>At the Cullen's house all was quiet. Jacob arrived late that morning to spend the day playing with Renesmee in front of the house. Rosalie was as always put out by this intrusion upon her time with her niece. She allowed it only because the rest of the family had no problem with it and because it was the only time Jacob could spend with Renesmee, compared to her near round the clock access. Back in the forest, across the way from the house, Leah and Seth maintained their quiet vigil guarding Jacob. This was primarily Leah's idea. She could not get use to the idea of any member of her pack visiting a coven of vampires alone, not even the Cullens. Rosalie spent this time helping Esme reconfigure the garden along with the outdoor decorations about the house. Carlisle was upstairs in his office absorbing the forever growing contents of his library. Emmett and Jasper were in the living-room monitoring half a dozen sporting events simultaneously, and Alice was exploring the solitude of the forest at the rear of the house.</p>
<p>This sojourn away from the house was nearly a daily routine for Alice. Separating herself from the annoying effect that Renesmee and the wolves had on her precognitive abilities was calming. The blind spot that they created within her mind were only for events that involved them, either directly or indirectly. While this did not stop her from visualizing events distant from them, their proximity to her was a distraction, not unlike blinders on a race car driver. To minimize this problem, Alice spent much of her day outside focusing her thoughts on the threats about them.</p>
<p>Alice strolled through the woods about the house at a maddening slow pace for a vampire. Jasper found this practice counterproductive to being outdoors where he could run free. Because of this he always elected to abstain from these meanderings. Her walks only looked aimless to anyone tracing her path for a brief time. In fact, she was continuously retracing a trail she made that circled the house. From time to time, she would pause to cock her head as if she were intensely listening to something in the distance.</p>
<p>Alice spent much of this morning bouncing her thoughts back and forth between the Volturi and Charlie. This was her usual pattern of late. She found the process of holding someone in her thoughts a tedious practice when she was doing it for just one person for one hour. Rolling Charlie and the Volturi around in her mind, for two weeks, was making her increasingly less pleasant to be around. Jasper had begun referring to her as Grumpy; more so behind her back than to her face, and Emmett took pleasure in teasing her with the moniker "the wicked witch of the west." The other members of the family, with the exception of Rosalie, simply tiptoed around her. Rosalie amused herself by squabbling with Alice about anything that set her off. She did this because she knew the exercise made Alice, all the more, grumpy.</p>
<p>Despite her displeasure with this task Alice dutifully performed it day in and day out. She did this without any prodding from Carlisle or any other member of the family. She did it because she knew that she was the only one who could and because she was determined to protect her family.</p>
<p>Alice had no memory of family and the idea of one always excited her as did the fashions and the social events that were important to mortals. Finding ways to participate in these human endeavors was a full-time preoccupation for her. For Alice, looking out for the safety and security of the people that you love was the epitome of what mortals within a family did, and she was determined not to fail in this very human function. It was because of this determination that what happened next was so alarming to her.</p>
<p>Alice jerked her head up from its contemplative bow with the speed that only a vampire could produce. Standing perfectly still, she stared out at empty space with a startled expression fixed upon her face. A few seconds later a terrified Alice streaked through the forest, across the back lawn to her home and into the house. Her sudden and panicked appearance did not go unnoticed by Esme and Rosalie. They quickly followed her inside.</p>
<p>Alice came to a stop in the living-room where Emmett and Jasper were watching a baseball game. Her abrupt appearance caused both to sharply rise to their feet.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?" Jasper called out in a concerned tone of voice.</p>
<p>Alice momentarily ignored the question as she picked up the phone and dialed out. Within that instant, Esme raced into the room, followed by Rosalie, and queried the room.</p>
<p>"What's happening?"</p>
<p>Also within that instant, Carlisle raced down the stairs and into the living-room; alerted by the sound of rapid movements and stressed voices. He paused for a moment to gauge the temperament of all in the room.</p>
<p>An instant later Alice finished dialing out and looked up to cast a desperate stare at Jasper and Emmett.</p>
<p>"It's Bella and Edward," Alice reported in a terrified voice. "You've got to go help them. Go to the canyon," she continued to plead. "Now," she yelled in a terrified tone of voice.</p>
<p>Emmett and Jasper instantly darted for and out the front door of the house. Carlisle looked to Esme and Rosalie.</p>
<p>"Stay with Nessie."</p>
<p>An instant later Carlisle was out the front door behind Emmett and Jasper.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?" Esme pleaded in a worried voice.</p>
<p>Just then the phone answered at the other end.</p>
<p>Alice instantly turned all of her attention to the phone and to the speaker at the other end.</p>
<p>"Edward, you can't fight them. Run! Please run! Run now! Run towards the canyon!"</p>
<p>Alice's warning was brief and desperately expressed in a pleading tone. An instant later the connection was gone, disconnected at the other end. With a look of near terror on her face, she hung up the phone.</p>
<p>"What is, Alice?" Esme demanded. "What's happening?</p>
<p>"What's going on?" Rosalie chorused Esme's demand.</p>
<p>Before Alice can respond Jacob ran into the house and the living-room with Renesmee in his arms.</p>
<p>"What's happening?" Jacob asked with a concerned look on his face.</p>
<p>Alice instantly flicked her attention to Jacob with a look of wide eye amazement.</p>
<p>"You got to help Bella," Alice pleaded in a voice near to tears. "Please."</p>
<p>Jacob set Renesmee down and spun away towards the front door. An instant later he was through it. Jacob did not wait to descend the stairs before phasing into his wolf form. He leaped from the top landing as a man and landed at the bottom as a wolf. He then raced by Seth and Leah who came running in from the forest after seeing Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle race from the house. Without hesitation, they turned and followed Jacob's lead.</p>
<p>Inside the Cullen's home Alice, Esme, Rosalie and Renesmee stood still in shocked silence. After a short pause, Esme whispered a question to Alice for all to hear.</p>
<p>"Are they going to be okay?"</p>
<p>"I don't know," Alice responded in a plaintive voice. "I don't know Esme. I'm sorry. I don't know."</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Without thinking to look back, Edward grabbed Bella by the arm and pulled her forward into a dead run towards the ridge of the nearest canyon. Bella needed little encouragement in this. Edward shortly released Bella's arm to give her full range of motion. Together they began to streak through the forest at their best speed. They had been running for just a few seconds when they began to hear the sound of something or someone keeping pace with them from behind. Every few seconds Edward or Bella or both would peer back over their shoulders to catch a glimpse of a pair of large males chasing them. The speed of their pursuit could only mean they were vampires.</p>
<p>Edward knew that he did not have to tell Bella where to go. Alice's instructions were clear, run towards the canyon. Edward trusted Alice explicitly. He knew that any instruction she gave would provide for them their best chance for survival. What worried him was the desperation in her voice. He knew from experience that when situations were fluid, fast paced and imminent that Alice could not get a clear vision of the outcome, and he knew that this was a scenario perfect for such a failing.</p>
<p>Edward glanced over his shoulder and noted that the two large male figures were gradually gaining on them.</p>
<p>"Run faster, Bella," Edward yelled out over the rush of wind racing by and the rustle of leaves and brushes disturbed by their passage.</p>
<p>Several seconds later Edward looked back and saw that the two pursuing vampires were still gaining ground on them. Edward desperately wanted to turn back and engage them to give Bella a chance to get away, but he knew that he likely would only be able to hinder one, and he was convinced that Bella would not leave him behind. Just the same he knew that eventually he would have to do something. The pursuers were on pace to catch up with them before they reached the canyon. For the time being, he chose to stay the course and hope that Alice's premonition would come to pass in their favor.</p>
<p>Edward and Bella continued to zigzag around trees and hurtle obstacles at superhuman speed. Bella's hair fluttered behind her as she cut through the thick, humid air. Another twenty seconds passed, and still nothing had happened to lessen Edward's concern. He knew that they would probably reach the canyon in another thirty seconds. He looked behind him and calculated that their pursuers would be upon them shortly before then.</p>
<p>Edward could hear in their thoughts that these two vampires intended to kill them just as soon as that got their hands on them. It was obvious to Edward that they were chosen specifically for this task. The speed of their pursuit was extraordinary for vampires. Edward had a high degree of confidence that he could outpace the average vampire and Bella in her newborn state was far above average herself, and yet, these two vampires were gaining on them. Edward deduced from this fact alone that these two vampires were hunter-killers. Exceptional speed, strength, and athleticism, were obviously the traits that qualified them for this task.</p>
<p>"Bella, you have to get across the canyon and back to the house," Edward yelled out.</p>
<p>"No Edward!"</p>
<p>Bella discerned from Edward's directive that he was going to separate from her.</p>
<p>"We won't make it together."</p>
<p>"I'm not leaving you behind," Bella insisted.</p>
<p>Conflicted by Bella's refusal to go on without him, Edward continued to keep pace with her. A few seconds later the two hunter-killers were near to arm's reach of their prey. Edward readied himself to turn and engage his pursuers when something suddenly caught his eye off to his right. Two Quileute shape-shifters in their wolfen forms streaked in from seemingly nowhere and tackled the two pursuing vampires. A second later Bella stopped and turned to observe this engagement. Edward quickly stopped, as well.</p>
<p>"Bella, we have to keep going," Edward pleaded.</p>
<p>The two shape-shifters were doing nothing more than making nuisances of themselves at their own expense.</p>
<p>"We can't leave them," Bella argued.</p>
<p>"Bella, they're not after the wolves. They're after you."</p>
<p>"I'm not leaving them."</p>
<p>With that said, Bella charged into the fracas and engaged the nearest vampire. Edward quickly came to her aid in this fight.</p>
<p>Bella was not much more of a challenge for the vampire she was fighting than the shape-shifter was. The large hunter-killer's strength and fighting skill kept Bella forever off balance and tumbling to the ground. The intervention of Edward was enough to keep this large vampire from doing any real harm to her, despite the fact that his own efforts were only partially effective against the much larger vampire. The shape-shifters were fairing no better with the other hunter-killer.</p>
<p>After another minute of battle, the two shape-shifters were intermittently yelping from the bruising they were getting at the hands of the hunter-killer they were fighting. A few seconds later one of the shape-shifters let out a loud yelp, as it was slammed hard into a tree. The large wolf tumbled to the ground. Bella and Edward were distracted from their fight by the volume of the wolf's cry of pain. The large shape-shifting wolf was clearly injured by the assault. It made no attempt to get back on its feet. The remaining shape-shifter picked up the slack and pressed the fight.</p>
<p>Edward and Bella's hands were full trying to keep each other from being killed by a large vampire that was obviously intent on doing just that. On two occasions Edward interceded just in time to prevent the hunter-killer from inflicting a potentially crippling blow to Bella.</p>
<p>It took less than thirty seconds for the remaining shape-shifter to become severely injured. The hunter-killer vampire he was fighting got two hand holds on to him, slung him up off the ground and then slammed him back down to it with tremendous force, knocking the wind from its lungs in the process. The shape-shifter let out a stifled yelp of pain.</p>
<p>Bella caught sight of this out the corner of her eyes. She then charged the hunter-killer vampire as he reached down to finish off the injured wolf.</p>
<p>"Bella," Edward screamed her name as a warning for her to stay away from that fight.</p>
<p>His call was too late. She had already leaped upon the large vampire's back. Edward tried desperately to free himself from the vampire he was wrestling with so that he could fend for her, but his preoccupation with Bella made his own struggle less effective. Several seconds later he noted, out the corner of his eyes, that Bella had been pinned to the ground and that her opponent was acquiring a lethal hold to her head. Despite all his struggles, Edward could not free himself to save her. For Edward it was a moment of supreme terror. He considered shutting his eyes rather than watch what he knew was about to happen. Had he done so he would have missed what did, happen.</p>
<p>Suddenly from out of the distance Emmett streaked into the battle space, threw himself at Bella's opponent and grasped him about his head and shoulders. As soon as he landed back on his feet Emmett slung the hunter-killer vampire ten yards through the air. The vampire bounced off a tree and landed dazed on the ground.</p>
<p>Edward's opponent was instantly distracted by Emmett's powerful entrance into the fray. Edward quickly capitalized on this and threw the hunter-killer off of him. Jasper streaked into the area an instant later and stopped. Carlisle followed a few seconds behind. The two hunter killers were instantly checked by the presence of five Cullens now standing before them. They paused to assess their situation.</p>
<p>The two hunter-killers were not distressed about this disadvantage in numbers. Emmett's impressive size and strength notwithstanding, the two large vampires were confident that they could make a fight of it. As they pondered their situation a few seconds more Jacob, Leah and Seth, in their wolfen forms, raced out of the brush and took up defensive stances alongside the Cullens. A second later the two hunter-killers took flight.</p>
<p>Jacob, Leah, and Seth quickly took off in pursuit of the two hunter-killer vampires. Carlisle quickly restrained Emmett from doing the same, and he instructed one of the injured wolves to call back the other three.</p>
<p>Emmett was quick to challenge this decision.</p>
<p>"We can't let them get away."</p>
<p>"They won't go down without a fight, and I'm not prepared to lose a member of my family for sport."</p>
<p>"But we don't know who they are."</p>
<p>"I know who they are." Carlisle quickly countered. "They're Volturi."</p>
<p>"All the more reason to kill them," Emmett roared forcefully.</p>
<p>"The Volturi will simply turn the situation around and accuse us of ambushing two of their members."</p>
<p>"He's right," Jasper put in calmly.</p>
<p>Emmett roared his dissatisfaction with this decision before acquiescing to it.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>After returning to the house, the entire family convened in the living-room to assess the event that just transpired. Alice explained that the two vampires were already in place, and the order to attack was a spur of the moment decision from Aro.</p>
<p>"He knows that I only see thoughts that are set into motion that effect me," Alice angrily summarized. "Aro had them two roaming around Forks doing nothing but watching and reporting. They were told not to do anything without instructions from him. I can't see that," Alice yelled. "They could have been out there for a month, and it didn't mean anything to me."</p>
<p>"Okay Alice, we understand," Carlisle responded in a calming voice.</p>
<p>Alice continued to explain that she did not have sufficient forewarning to prevent the attack from happening.</p>
<p>"There are more of them out there. I heard it in their minds," Edward reported. "The next time they will try with greater numbers."</p>
<p>"We have to be very careful now," Carlisle instructed. "No more separate forays into the forest, we go together, or we don't go at all."</p>
<p>After a pause to consider this the Cullen family agreed to this new directive with a nod of their head or a murmured, "okay." A silence suddenly filled the room as the Cullens absorb the severity of their new situation. A brief time later, Alice flipped her attention towards Bella with a surprised look on her face followed by a hint of a smile.</p>
<p>"Bella, your mother is calling you. She has news that she is eager to share."</p>
<p>A moment later the phone rang, and all eyes turned to Bella. She paused to study their looks and then answered the phone.</p>
<p>"Hello."</p>
<p>Bella listened for a few seconds to her mother's greeting.</p>
<p>"Hi mom, how are you?"</p>
<p>Bella listened again for a few seconds to Renee's reply to her query.</p>
<p>"Okay, so what's the news?" Bella coaxed.</p>
<p>Bella listened again to her mother's response. After a few seconds, a sudden look of surprise spread across her face.</p>
<p>"You're what?"</p>
<p>Bella listened for a few seconds as Renee repeated her news.</p>
<p>"You're pregnant?" </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Out of the Blue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the next four months, the Cullens were nearly exiles from the rest of the world. They trusted themselves to be safe in small groups and pairs in public spaces during the daylight hours. They were confident that the Volturi would not violate their most sacred commandment and attack them in full view of mortals, but in the surrounding wilderness, or the desolate spaces of the night, they were loathed to be there at less than full strength. The decision to stay in one tightly packed group whenever possible may have been Carlisle's, but for Edward, it was an obsession. His greatest fear was that some member of the family, other than himself, would come to harm when he was not there to stand between them and it.</p>
<p>During their off hours, which were most of the day, Emmett, Jasper and Edward took to teaching Bella the hand-to-hand combat techniques of vampires. Edward was determined to develop Bella's combat potential to its furthest extent. He often pushed Bella, Emmett and Jasper beyond their patience to this end. Bella's fighting skills improved considerably for the effort despite the fact that she remained no match for any of the elder Cullens.</p>
<p>Carlisle withdrew his services as a physician from the local hospital, citing personal reasons for this decision. He spent the past four months safeguarding his family from whatever danger he feared the Volturi might throw at them. He accomplished this by keeping himself available to guard the house or for any ventures that the family undertook. He considered leaving the area altogether, but only briefly. He knew that the Volturi had the means to track them if they ran. He also knew that if he were to assemble an alliance of covens to counter the Volturi then the nearby presence of the shape-shifters might be enough to discourage a confrontation.</p>
<p>This new level of threat to the family took Edward's sullen demeanor and expanded it into a full-blown depression. The usual playful relationship he had with his family devolved into brief, polite expressions, and devolved again into self absorbed silence since the attack on himself and Bella. An overwhelming feeling of guilt and sorrow tormented him constantly.</p>
<p>Attempts by the family to lighten his spirits had no effect. Bella's and Esme's concern for him was nearly a preoccupation. They would both go out of their ways to try and find something to amuse him. In response, Edward would simply do his best to avoid them both and their humorous devises. Exhausted by her many unsuccessful efforts to relieve her son's anxiety, Esme approached him head-on one day.</p>
<p>"What is it, Edward?" Esme implored of him in finality.</p>
<p>"This is my fault," Edward whispered back despondently.</p>
<p>"No Edward, this is not your fault," Esme quickly insisted. "This is life, and there are always things that happen in life that are beyond our control. All we can do is stand together as a family and weather them."</p>
<p>"A son does not visit harm upon his family," Edward spoke with defiance as he stormed away from her.</p>
<p>From then on, Esme resigned herself to the idea that she would not be able to provide solace for Edward and that the only relief for him would be a successful resolution to this predicament.</p>
<p>The Quileute shapeshifters were also on guard for the Volturi or any strange vampire wandering through or about the reservation. Unlike the Cullens, they were pumped up for a fight and eager to show off their prowess. Despite this hunger for battle, the shape-shifters closed ranks within the reservation. The brutal beating that two of their numbers endured, Joseph and Paco, convinced Sam to shelter individual members of the pack within the fortification of the whole. The pass two months had convinced him that the Cullens were far better at protecting the residents of Forks from stray vampires that were moving about it.</p>
<p>Over the past four weeks, there was little for the shapeshifters to do other than wait and watch. The new vampires within the peninsula skirted the Quileute Reservation on numerous occasions as if they were doing so deliberately. Most of the shape-shifters felt embolden by this deference to them. Sam and Jacob knew this was simply a tactical decision and were forever encouraging the pack to stay on its guard.</p>
<p>This new tension among the shapeshifters and the Cullens did not escape the notice of Charlie. Carlisle's resignation from the hospital, the Cullen family's sudden confinement to their home and Jacob's sudden reluctance to leave the reservation all combined to make Charlie very suspicious about what had happened or was about to happen.</p>
<p>"Everything is okay, Dad," Bella insisted during one of Charlie's visits.</p>
<p>"Everything has changed," Charlie complained. "You, the Cullens, Jacob, Sam and the rest of that pack are all acting strange even for you."</p>
<p>"It's nothing to concern yourself with," Bella continued to implore. "We're just doing what we have to keep everyone safe."</p>
<p>"Safe from what," Charlie quickly challenged?</p>
<p>"Dad, please don't ask questions."</p>
<p>Charlie knew that he had reached the end of his query and backed away reluctantly.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Renee was Bella's only close relation who was not in distress about anything. Her life in Jacksonville, Florida was as close to perfect as she had ever known it. She was entering the third trimester of her pregnancy and was very much looking forward to the birth of Phil's son. The absence of a child to care for, namely Bella, and the addition of a second husband combined to make Renee an eager mother to be. She also jested to Bella that the possibility of becoming a grandmother in the near future was a motivating factor, as well, but this was more humor than truth. Mrs. Renee Dwyer was deliriously happy with her marriage and desperately wanted to make the union complete with a child. A child that was as much a gift for Phil, as it was for herself.</p>
<p>Renee learned of the sex of her unborn child the instant her doctor found out, and she was ecstatic to learn it was a boy. Having already raised a daughter, Renee was ready for a son and all the more so for Phil's son.</p>
<p>The name Phillip Dwyer Junior was very much in contention within the Dwyer household. This was Renee's name of choice. Phil was pushing back for something that did not involve adding the suffix Junior onto it.</p>
<p>"There's nothing wrong with being called Junior," Renee protested with a laugh.</p>
<p>"Juniors are dweebs," Phil argued jokingly. "He'll be picked on and laughed at all through school."</p>
<p>It was early into the night. The sun had set two hours earlier, and the hockey game they had been watching ended ten minutes ago. Renee and Phil sat snuggled together on the couch in their home arguing about their favorite subject of late. In her lap was a list of his and her choices for names.</p>
<p>"Phil, where do you get these ideas," Renee laughingly pondered out loud. "It's just an appendage to your name. It doesn't define who he is."</p>
<p>"Names are important," Phil argued back with a smile. "He needs a name that inspires him to do great things, like this name," Phil pointed to a name on the list, "Conan."</p>
<p>Renee gave her husband an exasperated look. "Understand this mister Dwyer; we will not be naming our son Conan."</p>
<p>Phil took the assertion with a smile.</p>
<p>"Okay, maybe not Conan, but what about Joseph? I like Joseph it's a good solid name."</p>
<p>"Joseph is alright," Renee agreed, "but if we're going to go biblical how about Daniel. I always had a fondness for Daniel he was beautiful and smart."</p>
<p>"Who's talking biblical?" Phil questioned in an incredulous tone. "Joe is a good old American name."</p>
<p>"Our son is not a Joe," Renee quickly corrected. "Our son will never be a Joe."</p>
<p>Phil gave Renee a laugh and a hug before speaking. "You know this kid is going to be in college by the time we give him a name."</p>
<p>Renee was in the process of returning his hug and laugh when the phone rang. She completed her moment of affection in defiance of its ringing before getting up to answer it.</p>
<p>"Hello."</p>
<p>A few seconds after answering the phone Renee's happy expression transformed into surprise and disbelief.</p>
<p>"Where is she?" Renee made an alarmed query.</p>
<p>Phil got up from his seat to stand next to her. "What's wrong?"</p>
<p>Renee was too intent on hearing what was being said by the person on the other end of the of the phone connection to respond to this. Another twenty seconds had gone by before she spoke again.</p>
<p>"Okay, we're on our way," Renee spoke into the phone in a panicked voice before returning the receiver to its cradle.</p>
<p>"What happened?" Phil questioned in a concerned voice.</p>
<p>"It's Bella," Renee responded in a voice near to tears. "Bella has been in an accident. We have to get to Forks right away."</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>The sun was in its final hour in the sky above Forks. A heavily overcast sky concealed its exact location but the illumination glowing through them betrayed its general location as not far above the western horizon. Inside the Cullen home, the family members were disbursed, and engaged in whatever hobby or study that was amusing them at the time. Alice was the exception to this. Her thoughts were pursuing visions of the Volturi and Charlie. She sat alone in her room staring at the view out her window as she sorted through the visions tumbling about in her head.</p>
<p>Bella was in the kitchen administering to Renesmee's nutritional and academic needs when she heard a muffled cry from Alice.</p>
<p>"Oh no..."</p>
<p>An instant later she could hear the sound of Alice racing down the stairs and into the living-room.</p>
<p>"No, no, no!" Alice repeated in a panicked tone.</p>
<p>"What is it?" A concerned Esme quickly questioned.</p>
<p>Bella quickly abandoned Renesmee and raced towards the living-room. Renesmee followed her lead an instant later. Even as she moved, Bella could hear the sound of the entire family pooling towards the living-room, peppering Alice with simultaneous questions as they arrived.</p>
<p>"What's did you see Alice?" Edward queried gravely.</p>
<p>"What is it Alice?" Carlisle questioned anxiously.</p>
<p>"What's happening?" A confused Rosalie put in.</p>
<p>"You okay?" Jasper questioned Alice quickly.</p>
<p>"Hey, what's going on?" An intrigued Emmett put in.</p>
<p>"What's wrong Alice?"</p>
<p>Bella's asked her question at near to the same instant that the others spoke theirs, but it was hers that Alice gave all her attention.</p>
<p>"Oh Bella, I'm so sorry. I-I didn't know. I didn't think."</p>
<p>Bella was suddenly frozen with worry about what Alice might say next.</p>
<p>"Tell us Alice," Carlisle queried in her stead.</p>
<p>"Bella, it's your mother, someone is going to," Alice struggled with the next word, "kill your mother."</p>
<p>"When," Bella nearly shouted the question.</p>
<p>"I don't know, but it's going to be soon."</p>
<p>"I have to go there," Bella loudly announced as she turned to leave.</p>
<p>Alice quickly grabbed her arm.</p>
<p>"It's too late to help her." Alice reported solemnly. "You have to get her out of that house, now." Alice punctuated the last word to emphasize the urgency.</p>
<p>Bella was momentarily shocked by this report. A moment later she streaked to the nearest phone in a blur. Before she could dial Esme streaked up beside her and grabbed the phone.</p>
<p>"Let me, if she believes you're hurt, she'll drop everything to get here."</p>
<p>Alice quickly cut in to support Esme's position. "Esme is right. She's not going to hurry if she hears your voice."</p>
<p>Bella quickly relinquished the phone to Esme with a one-word remark, "please."</p>
<p>Esme quickly dialed the phone and then waited for a pickup at the other end.</p>
<p>Suddenly Alice turned to look at Carlisle to the surprise of everyone.</p>
<p>"Call Charlie," Alice insisted.</p>
<p>"Why?" Carlisle questioned shortly.</p>
<p>"Renee will call Charlie before she boards the jet," Alice insisted in a frenetic voice. "You have to convince Charlie to come to the house right now. His cell phone won't have a signal once he leaves the city."</p>
<p>Carlisle did not waste the time to respond to this before turning away and towards the satellite phone in his room. An instant later Esme got an answer to her call.</p>
<p>"Renee, this is Esme," she announced in a panicked tone. "You have to get here as quickly as possible. It's Bella. She's been injured. There was an automobile accident."</p>
<p>Esme paused to listen to Renee's query.</p>
<p>"She's on her way to the hospital. It's very serious. You need to get here as soon as possible."</p>
<p>Esme paused again to listen to Renee's response.</p>
<p>"They'll be tickets waiting for you and Phil at the U-S Airways counter. You both have to come right away."</p>
<p>Esme listened for a minute before hanging up the phone.</p>
<p>"They're on their way."</p>
<p>Bella was only slightly relieved to hear this. Apprehension still had its grip on her, and it showed. She looked to Alice for some relief of her fears, but she had nothing to offer. The Cullens settled in for a wait. The entire family watched Alice in anticipation of her next vision.</p>
<p>After a few minutes of doing nothing, Alice began to ponder out loud about the whole event.</p>
<p>"I don't understand why I didn't see this," Alice mused. "The Volturi has been a constant concern of mine for the past few months. I should have had a vision of this sooner."</p>
<p>"You can't see everything Alice," Esme retorted in a comforting tone.</p>
<p>"But I should have seen this."</p>
<p>"Maybe it was a last-minute decision-just like the thing with Bella and Edward," Emmett threw out.</p>
<p>"But I saw that. I saw Aro give the order. I saw it too late to stop it from happening, but I saw it."</p>
<p>"Alice is considering the possibility that someone else might be pulling the strings this time," Edward reported knowingly.</p>
<p>"Who," Bella quickly questioned with a hint of desperation in her tone.</p>
<p>"I don't know Bella. I'm sorry. I don't know."</p>
<p>"But can't you see who's attacking us?" Bella questioned in a more urgent tone than before.</p>
<p>"Alice's visions center around her. The more distant the event is from her the more removed her visions are from the event." Edward spoke in a calming tone. "If it's too far away then she has to direct her thoughts at it to see anything at all."</p>
<p>"What does that mean?" A confused Bella questioned back.</p>
<p>"I need to know who they are in order to see what they're doing," Alice spoke up in a pleading tone. "I'm sorry Bella."</p>
<p>"But, but, but," Bella fumbled out in a confused tone. "I thought you could warn us if anything were about to happen."</p>
<p>"I can," Alice answered with a plea.</p>
<p>"Alice's visions are always about things that are going to affect her in one way or the other," Carlisle instructed softly. "The more immediate the effect, the more likely it is she will see it. If someone were planning to harm one of us, Alice would probably see this as soon as the decision was made to do it."</p>
<p>"I would know that," Alice nearly cried as she spoke. "I would see that the moment anyone dared to plot against my family."</p>
<p>"Her visions are linked with her emotions." Esme spoke up softly.</p>
<p>Carlisle closed the distance between himself and Bella and softened his demeanor as he prepared to continue his lecture. "Renee is not an immediate member of the family for Alice. The decision to do her harm was too distant for her to see it when it was formed. Now that the attack is imminent, she sees the aftermath. She sees the affect it will have on you and subsequently how that will affect her."</p>
<p>Alice was nearly reduced to tears by Carlisle's explanation. "I'm sorry Bella. I should have been looking out for Renee. I should have held her in my thoughts. I'm sorry Bella. I'm so sorry."</p>
<p>Bella shrank away from this revelation, her thoughts too far away to produce the absolution that Alice silently begged for.</p>
<p>Suddenly Alice became aware something that shocked her intensely. She suddenly began to back away as if to put distance between her and what she was seeing.</p>
<p>"Oh no..."</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Renee and Phil were racing down the freeway towards the airport at a speed that was slightly above the limit. It was the middle of the night. A mixture of anguish and fear was expressed across Renee's face as she stared out at the lights flickering by. Phil made intermittent attempts to comfort her with his right hand as he drove with his left.</p>
<p>"Baby please, try not to worry yourself so much," Phil implored. "We don't know how she is. It could be something minor."</p>
<p>"She said serious," Renee corrected in a tearful voice.</p>
<p>"She said Bella was on her way to the hospital. So there is no way she could know how serious," Phil insisted. "If she's on her way to the hospital then they're taking care of her."</p>
<p>Renee took no solace from this and continued to stare out the window. Dozens of horrible scenarios were racing out of control in her mind. All attempts by her to stifle these thoughts seemed to accomplish the opposite. Anger at her inability to control her own mind welled up inside her and finally spilled out upon Charlie.</p>
<p>"Where the hell is he?"</p>
<p>"Who," Phil inquired, surprised by her tone.</p>
<p>"Charlie, he should have called to tell me something. I'm her mother. Why isn't he calling me?"</p>
<p>After taking a moment to consider, Phil answered back. "He probably doesn't want you to do what you're doing now."</p>
<p>"And not knowing is supposed to help," Renee angrily replied back.</p>
<p>"He doesn't know that you know," Phil rationalized.</p>
<p>"How can he not know," Renee angrily retorted. "The Cullens know. They had to tell him that they called me."</p>
<p>"We don't know that," Phil responded in a calming voice.</p>
<p>"He still should have called," Renee insisted with a hint of anger and worry in her voice. "I left him messages." Renee broke down into tears. "I need to know how my little girl is doing."</p>
<p>Phil reached out and placed his hand gently onto Renee's arm. A few seconds later Phil suddenly snatched his hand back and began patting his pockets. Renee looked over at him with only a modicum of interest.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?"</p>
<p>"I left my cell phone at the house," Phil reported casually.</p>
<p>"That's alright. I have mine," Renee advised impassively.</p>
<p>Phil tacitly concurred with this and continued to drive down the freeway with two hands gripped to the wheel. A few seconds later a sign flashed by the windows that read ‘Jacksonville International Airport One Mile.’</p>
<p>"We didn't set the house phone to forward our calls," Phil mused out loud.</p>
<p>"It doesn't matter Phil," Renee implored, sensing his desire to go back to the house and correct these missteps. "I need you with me."</p>
<p>"Okay," Phil acquiesced and continued to drive towards the airport. Several seconds later he merged onto the airport exit.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry. You're right. You should go back and set the call-forwarding on the phone," Renee confessed reluctantly.</p>
<p>"It's okay. I can do without the phone," Phil amended.</p>
<p>"No," Renee feeling all the more guilty insisted. "I know you're waiting for a call, and you can catch a later flight."</p>
<p>"Are you sure?" Phil questioned hopefully.</p>
<p>"Yeah, I'll be alright. Just come up as soon as you can," Renee urged softly.</p>
<p>"Okay."</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>"What is it?" Carlisle asked as he closed the distance between himself and Alice.</p>
<p>The entire family had their eyes fixed on Alice. Her sudden outburst and shocked expression had everyone fearing for the worst. Bella was the only member of the family who took a half step back in response to Alice's shocked outcry.</p>
<p>"What is it?" Bella implored of a hesitant Alice.</p>
<p>"He didn't get on the jet." Alice reported in a shocked tone.</p>
<p>"What?" Bella brusquely queried for more information.</p>
<p>"Phil," Alice whimpered. "He didn't get on the jet."</p>
<p>"Well, we've-we've got to stop him-we've got to call him," Bella trippingly blurted out.</p>
<p>"It's too late," Alice countered.</p>
<p>"No, no we need to do something; we need to call his cell."</p>
<p>"He doesn't have his phone," Alice somberly reported. "That's why he didn't leave with your mother. He plans to take the next flight out."</p>
<p>Bella paused to absorb this before putting Alice to the question she feared to ask.</p>
<p>"Will he?"</p>
<p>With reluctance Alice softly shook her head, no.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Complications</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Renee's flight arrived at Sea-Tac Airport shortly before eight o'clock in the morning. She hurried off the jetliner, eager to find someone waiting who could give her some news about Bella. Being six months pregnant hindered her somewhat in this. Still she managed to push by many of the people there who were not in as great of a hurry as she.</p>
<p>It did not take Renee long to find the answer to the question she most wanted to ask. Waiting in the new arrivals area was the last person she expected to see.</p>
<p>"Bella," Renee called out in an astonished tone.</p>
<p>Standing on the other side of the arrival gate was Bella and Edward. Bella's look was one of worry and dread. She failed to respond to Renee's initial call to her because of this dread for what was to follow. Edward's appearance was stoic and unreadable as usual.</p>
<p>"Bella," Renee called out again as she rushed through the new arrivals gate towards her.</p>
<p>"Mom, I'm okay mom," Bella responded as Renee rushed up and swept her into her arms.</p>
<p>"You're okay," Renee asserted with an abundance of relief.</p>
<p>"Yes mom, I'm fine," Bella assured.</p>
<p>"Oh Bella, I was so afraid," Renee continued to lament. "What happened?"</p>
<p>Bella was reluctant to go into any details in the airport and balked at Renee's request for an explanation.</p>
<p>"Let's get out of here," Edward quickly spoke up. "We can explain this on the way."</p>
<p>Edward ushered Renee and Bella out of the airport terminal and into the parking lot where his car was parked. Renee was desperate for answers, but she could see that nothing was going to get said until they were situated inside the vehicle. As soon as the car was cruising along the highway Bella tepidly set about the task of telling her mother a diluted version of the truth.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry mom. I had to get you here. There was never any accident."</p>
<p>"What do you mean there wasn't any accident?" Renee complained with astonishment.</p>
<p>"Bella, I was scared out of my wits. I jumped on a plane in the middle of the night to get here. Why would you do that?"</p>
<p>"I needed to get you here," Bella calmly insisted.</p>
<p>"Why, Bella? Why?"</p>
<p>"I know you're going to find this hard to believe mom, but it's the truth." Bella continued to articulate her story in an anguished voice. "Alice sometimes has these visions and last night she had one of you."</p>
<p>"You're saying I'm here because of some vision," Renee questioned in an astonished tone.</p>
<p>"I was worried mom," Bella insisted. "I needed to know that you were safe."</p>
<p>"So, something happened to me in this vision?" Renee questioned in amazement.</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>"Bella, you don't believe in these kinds of things. What could possess you to do something like this?"</p>
<p>"Mom, I know this sounds strange to you, but I was really worried."</p>
<p>"I can't believe you did this Bella."</p>
<p>Renee was too infuriated to speak beyond this. She sat fuming for ten minutes, without speaking a word, before she thought to call Phil to instruct him not to fly up. There was no answer at the house or to his cell phone. She left a voice message with both phones instead that warned Phil not to fly up.</p>
<p>"It was all a hoax, a stupid hoax."</p>
<p>Despite this message, Renee concluded that Phil was already in the air and was all the angrier for it. Bella knew that nothing she said would assuage her anger and elected to keep quiet. She also knew that the worse had yet to come. An hour later Renee called the airline and tried to find out what time Phil would be arriving, but the airline had no record of him ever boarding. Only mildly concerned by this, Renee still chose to continue her silent treatment with her present company.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Renee's arrival outside of the home she left behind more than a dozen years earlier was just the shock needed to coax her out of her silent act.</p>
<p>"What are we doing here?"</p>
<p>Renee anticipated that she would be spending the night at the Cullen's residence. Despite her anger regarding the circumstances that brought her to Forks, she was prepared to endure the families' company. Her displeasure with their actions aside she still wanted to visit with Bella. Spending the night in Charlie's home was not a part of this deception that she was prepared to quietly endure.</p>
<p>"Mom, I need you stay here for the night," Bella implored.</p>
<p>"I'm not staying here, Bella," Renee argued back. "What's going on with you?"</p>
<p>No sooner had Renee spoken did Charlie come out of the house and begin walking towards the car. Bella called him earlier that morning and asked that he stay home from work, but he had no idea for what purpose this would serve. He had become quite use to not knowing the reason behind many of the things the Cullens did, but he suspected there was always a good one. He did not see Renee until Bella opened the door for her. Edward was already retrieving Renee's travel bag from the rear of the vehicle. Charlie stopped and froze a dozen feet away from the car as Renee stepped out of it through the rear passenger doorway.</p>
<p>Charlie was surprised to see Renee outside his home despite the fact that she was much on his mind this morning. The three, late night and near frantic, inquiries about Bella's condition, which she left on his phone, had him curious about the event that prompted them, but he was not excessively perturbed by them. This was due in parts by the fact that he knew Bella was in her usual good health and by Renee's failure to answer the return call he made a few hours earlier. After a few seconds of thought his surprise transformed into suspicion.</p>
<p>"What's this?" An amazed Charlie inquired.</p>
<p>Bella took a couple of steps toward Charlie and responded to his inquiry with an earnest tone of voice.</p>
<p>"Dad, I need you to look after mom for a little while."</p>
<p>Renee was instantly shocked by the verbiage, a little while.</p>
<p>"What do mean a little while? I'm not staying here at all," Renee spoke up in an insistent tone. "If I'm not spending the night with you, Bella, than just take me to a hotel and I'll spend the night there."</p>
<p>Bella ignored Renee's protestations and moved still closer to her startled father. "Dad, mom needs to stay here for now."</p>
<p>"What's going on Bells?" Charlie softly implored.</p>
<p>Bella hesitated for a moment before responding in kind, "It's for the best."</p>
<p>Charlie returned Bella's gaze for a brief time before responding.</p>
<p>"Okay."</p>
<p>"No, this is not okay," Renee quickly protested. "What's going on here? You trick me into flying up here and then you just abandon me at the home of my ex. Bella! What are you doing?"</p>
<p>"Mom, I'll be back tomorrow," Bella quickly responded, "and I'll explain then. Please mom, I need you to stay here tonight. Please!"</p>
<p>Renee was stunned by this request. She took a brief time to stare at Bella in amazement and then she looked to Charlie.</p>
<p>"Do you know what's going on?"</p>
<p>"No," Charlie responded, "but I think you should do as Bella asks."</p>
<p>Renee took a moment to consider before acquiescing to the will of the majority. Charlie took the travel bag proffered by Edward and lead Renee into the house. Bella and Edward took off in the car the instant the front door to the house was shut.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee quickly settled into an uncomfortable silence. Sharing the same accommodations with only each other's company was a distance memory for them. They were at first unsure how to act around the other. Renee shortly consigned herself to the spare bedroom to catch up on the sleep that she had lost during her overnight flight. Charlie supported this decision despite his extreme interest in Renee's reason for flying up to Forks so suddenly. He promised himself that he would inquire later after she rested. Since Charlie had nothing else to do during this time, he decided to put it to productive use. Prior to Renee falling into a sleep he asked for and received her permission to make an appearance at work. The day was half gone, but he still had work on his desk that needed tending.</p>
<p>Charlie returned home shortly after sunset with a large bag full of take-out. He arrived there to find Renee sitting in the living-room with her cell phone resting in her hands. She had a look of concern on her face and barely noticed Charlie as he entered the room. Charlie dismissed this to the obvious conclusion that she was waiting for a phone call from Phil.</p>
<p>"I didn't want to risk poisoning you with my cooking, so I brought take-out," Charlie announced clumsily.</p>
<p>"I'm not hungry," Renee responded absentmindedly.</p>
<p>"That doesn't sound right," Charlie retorted with a hint of amused amazement.</p>
<p>"What?" Renee queried with a new alertness.</p>
<p>"The last time you were in this condition, I had trouble buying enough food to keep you fed."</p>
<p>Renee quickly comprehended his meaning.</p>
<p>"Oh, I scraped something together from out of the kitchen," Renee qualified. "You should eat better Charlie."</p>
<p>"I eat out a lot."</p>
<p>"Then you should eat cheaper," Renee lectured.</p>
<p>"Yeah," Charlie timidly offered as a response before turning away towards the kitchen.</p>
<p>It took Charlie a little over an hour to finish his meal and straighten up after himself. When he returned to the living-room, he found Renee still sitting and waiting with her cell phone in her hands. Once again Charlie concluded that the obvious explanation was the correct interpretation behind Renee's quite vigil and elected not to inquire about it. Instead, he saw this as the perfect time to broach the subject he was most interested in talking about with her.</p>
<p>"Why are you here, Renee?"</p>
<p>"You know why," Renee replied with a, why are you asking me this question look. "Bella dumped me here."</p>
<p>"No, I mean, why are you here in Forks?" Charlie corrected his question.</p>
<p>A look of frustration immediately spread across Renee's face as she recalled the circumstances behind her being there.</p>
<p>"Apparently Bella's new sister in-law, Alice, had a vision that I was in danger and so the Cullens concocted some elaborate story about Bella being in an accident to get me here."</p>
<p>"A vision, like a vision of the future," Charlie inquired as he zeroed in on the part that intrigued him the most.</p>
<p>"I suppose," Renee responded in an exasperated tone. "What's going on over there? Bella was never like this before she moved in with those Cullens. She would have never done anything as callous as this."</p>
<p>Charlie showed no interest in Renee's brief rant. His mind was too busy pondering the idea of Alice having visions. Shortly a thought came to him.</p>
<p>"What kind of danger? Did Bella say?"</p>
<p>"No, I don't recall. Does it matter?" Renee responded with an, I don't care expression.</p>
<p>Charlie continued to ignore Renee's theatrics as his mind appraised this new information. His distraction did not go unnoticed by Renee, and she quickly reacted to it.</p>
<p>"What's going on Charlie?"</p>
<p>Charlie ignored Renee's question and pondered his own query out loud instead.</p>
<p>"So that was what those messages were about."</p>
<p>"Where were you?" Renee quickly questioned.</p>
<p>Charlie continued to ignore Renee's inquiries as he continued to think out loud.</p>
<p>"That's why they had me sitting around at the house last night. They wanted me out of cell phone range."</p>
<p>Renee suddenly became extremely interested in what Charlie was thinking.</p>
<p>"What's going on Charlie? What's happening with Bella?" Renee questioned in an insistent tone of voice.</p>
<p>Charlie's attention was immediately drawn to the alarm in Renee's inquiry. He quickly focused in on her gaze. Charlie took a moment to consider her and then spoke to her in a soft tone of voice.</p>
<p>"I think you should stay here for now."</p>
<p>Renee suddenly became worried by Charlie's change in demeanor.</p>
<p>"You think I could be in danger?" Renee queried in a surprised tone of voice.</p>
<p>Charlie chose his next words carefully in hopes of minimizing Renee's fears. "I think we should just do what Bella says for now."</p>
<p>"You do think I'm in some kind of danger," Renee spoke up with alarm. "What's going on, Charlie? What are these people into?"</p>
<p>"I don't know," Charlie quickly responded in a calming tone. "I haven't figured that out yet, but Bella is okay, and the best thing you can do right now is relax."</p>
<p>Renee suddenly stared down at the phone in her hand in wide eye fear.</p>
<p>"Why hasn't he called?" Renee questioned herself out loud.</p>
<p>"He's probably in the air right now," Charlie quickly responded to the question he was sure she was asking.</p>
<p>"He's not in the air," Renee corrected in a mildly terrified voice. "The airline has no record of him boarding a flight and his ticket is still on hold at the airport."</p>
<p>Charlie became suddenly aware of the depth Renee's fear and the size of the circumstances that was fueling it. Concerned for her well being, he quickly assured her that he would go back to his office, make a call to the Jacksonville Police and have them check on the house. As soon as Renee was lying calmly on the bed in the spare room with her cell phone still cradled in her hand, Charlie took off to make that call.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Bella and Edward arrived at Charlie's home shortly after sunrise the next morning. Bella had planned to look in on Renee at a much more sociable hour, but it was Alice who instructed her to appear at dawn.</p>
<p>The Cullens spent the whole of the day before waiting on Alice's visions and for nearly all of that time she had nothing to show for it. Bella took hope from this that Phil was okay. Alice and the other family members were at first reluctant to suggest otherwise. Their longer history with Alice's gift gave them a perspective that Bella had yet to acquire. The family banded together later that day to correct Bella's interpretation of this silence.</p>
<p>"Phil thinks you're injured, possibly even killed," Rosalie dutifully instructed. "He should be thinking about you; contemplating his future in anticipation of you being hurt, or killed."</p>
<p>"What does that mean?" a perplexed Bella queried.</p>
<p>"Alice should be able to get a vision of this," Rosalie answered back.</p>
<p>"It wouldn't be clear," Alice quickly explained. "It probably wouldn't be anything more than a vague impression of a possible future event. But as long as he's thinking about doing something that might affect me through you in the future, no matter how slight, I should be able to see a glimmer of it."</p>
<p>Bella studied Alice for a moment before asking the question she feared to hear the answer to.</p>
<p>"What are you telling me?"</p>
<p>"I'm not seeing anything, Bella." Alice paused to give Bella the time to comprehend this. "I should be seeing something."</p>
<p>Later that evening Alice's vision of herself consoling a bereaved Bella confirmed their combined fears and the family began making plans and preparations accordingly. Bella, with Edward by her side, arrived outside of Charlie's home to confront this future. The rest of the Cullen family, plus one, were on their way to Jacksonville, Florida.</p>
<p>Charlie was momentarily surprised by the sight of Bella when he opened the door. He had never seen Bella with a tan before and since her marriage to Edward her complexion seemed to turn even paler to match the appearance of her mate. She had become so light of late that even this modest look of color on both her and Edward quickly caught his attention. He shortly dismissed it to some activity they must have been doing outside, and refocused his attention to the subject that was most on his mind at present.</p>
<p>"I've been waiting for you," Charlie announced.</p>
<p>"Hi dad," Bella spoke up solemnly as she walked through the doorway.</p>
<p>"Charlie," Edward mumbled as he followed Bella into the house.</p>
<p>Charlie closed the front door and followed his daughter and son-in-law into the living-room. His mood was sour. Edward had forewarned Bella of this before they entered the house. Bella immediately took up a strategic stance between Edward and Charlie's angry scowl.</p>
<p>"How's mom," Bella softly inquired as she turned to confront Charlie.</p>
<p>"She's asleep," Charlie replied dryly. "What's going on Bella," Charlie continued sternly.</p>
<p>Bella took note of Charlie's use of the non affectionate form of her name.</p>
<p>"Dad, please," Bella implored softly.</p>
<p>"I've been up half the night talking with the Jacksonville Police Department," Charlie argued. "Where's Phil?"</p>
<p>"He was supposed to be on the plane with mom," Bella answered somberly.</p>
<p>"His car is outside of his home," Charlie continued to argue. "His keys were found on the ground in front of the house. This goes way beyond don't ask," Charlie insisted while pointing at Edward. "I want to know what happened to Phil."</p>
<p>"Dad," Bella interceded. "We don't know what happened to Phil. We don't know any more than you."</p>
<p>"Don't give me that Bella. Don't lie to me," Charlie fumed back. "You know something that you're not telling me."</p>
<p>"We don't know the details," Edward put in calmly. "All we have right now are suspicions."</p>
<p>"Fine," Charlie perked up. "Tell me your suspicions."</p>
<p>"We can't do that, Dad," Bella countered swiftly.</p>
<p>No sooner had Bella finished her sentence did the upstairs spare bedroom door open and close. Charlie noted the sound with a quick turn of his head towards the stairs. Bella and Edward gave it next to no attention at all. A few seconds later Renee slowly descended the stairs with a stunned look on her face and her cell phone in her hand. Charlie quickly went to her as she reached the bottom step.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?" Charlie queried softly as he took her arm.</p>
<p>"Phil is missing," Renee answered tearfully. "They found his keys outside of the house."</p>
<p>Renee was barely capable of uttering the last part of her statement for fear of saying the words.</p>
<p>"The police are looking for him. They'll find him." Charlie gently assured.</p>
<p>"You knew?" Renee questioned with a surprised tone of voice. "You should have awakened me."</p>
<p>"You need your rest," Charlie instructed.</p>
<p>Renee took a moment to stare into Charlie's eyes before turning to look at Bella.</p>
<p>"You knew about this?" Renee questioned Bella in a fearful tone of voice.</p>
<p>Bella was taken by surprise by the question. She quickly looked to Charlie as she pondered the idea of lying.</p>
<p>"What's going on, Bella?" Renee pleaded.</p>
<p>"We don't know mom," Bella somberly answered back.</p>
<p>Renee took a brief time to stare at her daughter with an amazed expression before turning back towards the stairs.</p>
<p>"I have to go back to Jacksonville. The police want to talk to me," Renee mumbled absentmindedly as she began to climb back up the stairs.</p>
<p>"I'm going with you, Mom," Bella quickly announced.</p>
<p>Renee continued to climb the stairs as if she heard nothing at all. Charlie was the opposite this. He took note of every word with a bewildered expression on his face. He and Bella exchanged looks until Renee was once again behind the spare bedroom door.</p>
<p>"Why are you going to Jacksonville?" Charlie questioned suspiciously as he looked to Edward with an angry scowl.</p>
<p>Bella continued to hold her strategic positioning between Charlie and Edward.</p>
<p>"Mom needs me," Bella responded.</p>
<p>Charlie took a moment to gauge the sincerity in Bella's voice.</p>
<p>"Dad," Bella implored. "While I'm gone I need you to stay out of the woods, and if you have any concerns about anything strange going on out there I want you to call Sam."</p>
<p>"Why Sam, why not Jacob," Charlie queried in a curious voice.</p>
<p>"Jacob is going to be out of town for a while," Bella replied.</p>
<p>Charlie pondered this answer briefly before asking with one word the question that popped up in his head, "Jacksonville?"</p>
<p>Bella declined to answer the question. Father and daughter stood and looked at each other for a brief time before Charlie thought to ask the question that he had only just then began to ponder.</p>
<p>"So, am I going to disappear too, Bells?"</p>
<p>"No Dad," Bella responded in an almost panicked tone of voice. "That's not going to happen. We're going to take care of this, Dad, I promise."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Questions and Lies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Cullen family of vampires, like all vampires, loathed the attention of mortals. Scrutiny was one step ahead of exposure. Carlisle and his family risked living among them so that they could share in the feeling of being human and the sensation of being a family, but even in this scale was a concern. The Cullens, as were all vampires who lived among mortals, were careful to maintain a miniscule presence. That is why for the Cullens, traveling to Jacksonville to participate as possible suspects in a missing person investigation was a fearful event.</p>
<p>Traveling to one of the sunniest states in North America to converse with mortals who would be examining them closely, meant that, the Cullens would have to employ a seldom used deception, makeup. They anticipated that avoiding the direct rays of the sun beneath the blue skies of Florida, in a situation where they had minimum control over when and where they might have to appear, was near to impossible. The concealer they had in mind to avoid this problem was not ordinary over the counter foundation, nor was it a special made to order mixture. The makeup that the Cullens planned to use for this trip was a concoction that Carlisle had been refining, for more than one-hundred years, to meet their needs.</p>
<p>Wearing makeup was the least favorite way for vampires to mingle with mortals. Regular makeup smeared and easily transferred to other surfaces, and since they needed to apply it to every exposed area of their bodies, contact with external objects or beings was something to be avoided; regardless of the time of day. To resolve this problem, vampires that chose to wear makeup experimented with their own blends. The criteria that guided them were always visual and tactile authenticity.</p>
<p>Despite centuries of trial and error, no vampire had yet to devise a concealer that did not eventually discolor, crack, fade and peel. Also, stripping and reapplying a concealer on a daily basis eventually became tedious for all vampires and was perceived beneath them by most. It was for these reasons that vampires preferred to avoid the direct rays of the sun rather than wear a concealer.</p>
<p>The trip to Jacksonville for the Cullens was the exception to this. Bella desperately wanted to be there to support Renee as she confronted the hardship ahead and the rest of the Cullen family was equally eager to support her.</p>
<p>During their time in Jacksonville, Bella and Edward spent all of the daylight hours at Renee's side. Bella wanted to be present when Renee was conversing with the Jacksonville authorities. This was more out of her concern over the stress these sessions might subject Renee to more than anything else. Bella had no pre-expectations regarding what would happen at these meetings. She was, however, prepared to defend her mother against any accusations of wrong doing by whatever means necessary. Luckily for the Cullens, Bella's staunch advocacy of her mother was not needed. The Jacksonville Police was quick to dismiss Renee as a serious suspect with regards to Phil Dwyer's disappearance. It took only a couple of days of background checks by the investigating officer to determine that Renee had no visible motive to want to do harm to her husband, little if any resources to orchestrate same, and absolutely no opportunity to do it on her own. On top of this, they had no physical evidence that any foul play was behind this missing person case.</p>
<p>The authorities did, however, show some interest in the Cullens. Alice's vision of danger, as it was reported to them by Renee, was too coincidental for them to ignore. Closer inspection by the detectives yielded nothing to support this suspicion. This coupled with Alice's performance as the ditzy clairvoyant, Esme's performance as the anxious to please mother-in-law and Bella's performance as the eager believer provided the authorities with sufficient reason to dismiss this as a credible lead despite the timing of this professed vision.</p>
<p>During much of the nights in Jacksonville Renee was kept in the company of Jacob and Renesmee while Bella and Edward ran off to take supper and commune with the rest of the Cullen household, or so Renee was told. This was just another in the many new peculiarities Renee noted in her daughter. She had no knowledge of Jacob beyond what Bella had corresponded about him in the past and even less of Edward's little niece. Bella explained Jacob's presence as a temporary family servant. Jacob silently took objection to being characterized to Renee as a servant, but he endured it non-the-less. He knew that his primary function was to stay near Renesmee and Renee when the Cullen family could not. This situation occurred every night.</p>
<p>The Cullens, minus Renesmee, required nearly a quarter of the night to strip off and apply their artificial layer of skin. An acid based solvent was the quickest and most effective way of doing this and rather than risk leaking fumes out into the hallway of a hotel Carlisle and family, minus Bella and Edward, took up residence in a nearby rental house for this purpose. The reasoning they gave to Renee for this was their desire to maintain a family environment. Bella and Edward ostensibly shared the suite that Renee was in. Outwardly it appeared as they said. In reality, the Cullens were spending every night guarding the hotel that Renee was in while taking shifts, two at a time, inside the rental house applying a fresh coat of concealer.</p>
<p>From the perspective of the Cullens, this was a rational plan of action. However, Renee had no knowledge of this. From her point of view, the Cullens were a bizarre clan of people who somehow managed to indoctrinate her daughter into their madness. In the past, she had been getting vague impressions of this families control over Bella. However, this prolonged experience of being in close proximity to them and Bella at the same time convinced her that her daughter's association with them was an unhealthy one. She broached this subject with Charlie on several occasions by phone only to be counseled, by him, to leave it alone for now. Renee made every attempt to follow this advice for the duration of this trip and succeeded at all times but one.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>"Bella, what's happened to you?" Renee quietly queried shortly after separating her daughter from her constant companion.</p>
<p>"I'm fine, Mom," Bella insisted. "Nothing's wrong."</p>
<p>"Yes, there is something wrong," Renee countered emphatically. "You're not acting like yourself."</p>
<p>"Well, Mom, I suppose I've changed a little over the past couple of years," Bella responded nonchalantly.</p>
<p>"Bella, please tell me," Renee softly pleaded. "What have these people done to you? Is it drugs? Are they coercing you somehow?"</p>
<p>"No, Mom, I'm fine," Bella quickly insisted.</p>
<p>"Then why are they here? Why is it that everywhere you go these people are somewhere nearby?"</p>
<p>"We're a close family," Bella softly explained.</p>
<p>"We're a close family?" Renee challenged back. "Are you listing to yourself, Bella? I'm your family too! I'm your mother. I raised you from birth. Why can't you tell me the truth?"</p>
<p>"Please, Mom," Bella spoke back forcefully.</p>
<p>Bella took note of the distress in her voice and suddenly became determined to get past this conversation.</p>
<p>"Let's handle one thing at a time. I know you're upset and worried about Phil. Let's concentrate on that for now. This thing that you think is going on between you and I can wait, okay?"</p>
<p>Renee took a moment to consider this before answering.</p>
<p>"Okay, for now."</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Seventeen days after their arrival in Jacksonville, Florida the Cullens plus Jacob and Renee were on their way back to Forks. Renee was officially given permission to leave twelve days earlier, by the Jacksonville Police Department, despite the fact that they had no legal grounds to forbid her from leaving. It took Bella the extra twelve days to convince Renee to come back to Forks with her ahead of a resolution to the investigation of Phil's disappearance.</p>
<p>Renee was in a depression that had been growing worse with each new day that Phil remained missing. Her mind was forever toying with the idea that Phil's disappearance was somehow connected with the Cullens. Alice's premonition was too much of a coincidence for her to ignore. That coupled with the Cullen family's insistence on accompanying her and Bella to Jacksonville, made her all the more suspicious. Renee, however, was reluctant to do or say anything that was not supported by either Bella, or Charlie.</p>
<p>Charlie's thinking regarding the Cullens, and what was happening in Jacksonville had become extremely important to Renee over the past two weeks. She had come to rely on him for semi lucid answers to her queries. Bella, the Cullens and Jacob all seemed more interested in evading her questions. During the final week of their stay in Jacksonville, Renee was calling Charlie on a daily basis. What she acquired from these communications was that Bella was fiercely protective of the Cullens and vice versa. In the mind of Renee Dwyer, the Cullens were increasingly being perceived as an evil cult that she was becoming determined to break her daughter free from.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>"Why am I here?" Renee asked as she and Charlie walked through the front door of his house.</p>
<p>Charlie set down two large luggage bags before speaking.</p>
<p>"I don't know, Renee. I'm in the dark here too."</p>
<p>"This doesn't make any sense," Renee complained. "A few weeks ago my life was happy and I was content with where I was at, and now," Renee began to bawl. "Everything's changed. It's like I'm in some terrible nightmare that I can't wake up from."           </p>
<p>Charlie did not have the words to respond to Renee's mournful revelation. Shortly Bella, followed by Edward, entered the house with a luggage bag in each hand and one under Edward's right arm. Bella quickly set hers down and walked over to Renee.</p>
<p>"I'm going to take these up to the spare bedroom," Edward quickly volunteered as he started up the stairs.</p>
<p>"Are you okay, mom," Bella asked in a concerned tone.</p>
<p>Renee looked back at her with a slight expression of surprise.</p>
<p>"No Bella, I'm not okay. I don't know why I'm here," Renee expressed sternly. "I don't know what's going on," she continued with a hint of anger. "And most of all I don't know what's happened to you and that scares me the most."</p>
<p>Bella was reluctant to respond to Renee's concerns. The words caught in her throat. Edward came down the stairs just at that moment, grabbed two more bags and proceeded to take them up to the spare bedroom. Bella used this time as an excuse to say nothing. As soon as Edward was back up the stairs Renee filled in the silence.</p>
<p>"You see! Right there, I know you Bella," Renee spoke up quickly and sharply. "You couldn't lie to me, so you didn't say anything."</p>
<p>Charlie watched this exchange with the hope that Renee might jar something loose from this wall of secrecy that Bella was hiding behind.</p>
<p>"Mom, the only thing you need to know is that I'm trying to do what's best for you right now," Bella declared strongly.</p>
<p>"What's best for me?" Renee questioned in a surprised tone. "How is abandoning me here what's best for me?"</p>
<p>Edward arrived back down at the foot of the stairs just as Renee completed her stunned inquiry. Charlie and Renee gave him a brief awkward look before turning away. Edward stoically returned their look for a moment before grabbing the last remaining two luggage bags and starting back up the stairs. When Edward was halfway up the stairs, Bella began her response to Renee's question.</p>
<p>"I'm not abandoning you mom, Dad's here."</p>
<p>"Your father has to work," Renee quickly insisted.</p>
<p>"I'm going to send Sue Clearwater around to spend time with you during the day," Bella gently answered back.</p>
<p>Renee suddenly became aghast by what she just heard. Charlie too was surprised by this statement.</p>
<p>"Another stranger?" Renee queried in an astonished tone. "Why not my own daughter?" Renee asked with some anger attached. "Why am I not staying in my daughter's home?" Renee queried in an even louder tone.</p>
<p>Just then Edward once again descended to the bottom of the staircase. The room went quiet while Charlie and Renee gave him a quick and not at all friendly surreptitious glance.</p>
<p>Edward took a moment to study the group stoically. After a brief moment of silence, he elected to make himself scarce.</p>
<p>"I'll be waiting outside," Edward announced calmly while looking at Bella.</p>
<p>Bella acknowledged with an "okay" prior to Edward exiting out the front door. Charlie and Renee once again focused their attention back on Bella.</p>
<p>"I told you, Mom. Carlisle's and Esme's home is crowded right now with the family and guests from out of town. You wouldn't be comfortable there. Here, you'll have plenty of room, and you're closer to the hospital."</p>
<p>Renee showed some disgust with this answer and promptly sat herself down dejectedly. After taking a moment to compose herself, she thought of a new question to ask along a different track.</p>
<p>"What's going on out there, Bella?" Renee questioned in a frank manner.</p>
<p>Bella took a second to glance at Charlie as she pondered this question. Charlie, in turn, noted the glance. He then exchanged looks with Renee before looking away.</p>
<p>"What's that," an alerted Renee queried? "You two know something, and you're not telling me."</p>
<p>"Mom, please," Bella began to complain as Renee climbed back to her feet.</p>
<p>"Charlie?" Renee questioned with a word. "What is it? What are you not telling me?"</p>
<p>"I don't know who, or what the Cullens are," Charlie complained with a hint of distaste while looking back to Bella. "But I will find out eventually."</p>
<p>Renee studied Charlie for a brief time before looking over to Bella and asking the question she most wanted an answer to.</p>
<p>"Bella, did the Cullens have something to do with Phil's disappearance?" Renee asked in a somber tone.</p>
<p>"No more than I did, Mom," Bella answered back shortly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Meeting of the Minds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Renee did not know how to take Bella's last answer, "no more than I did." What did that mean? Bella might have changed a lot, but Renee could not believe that she had anything to do with Phil's disappearance. Bella left before she could extract an explanation for that statement, or another evasion. Without some understanding about what was going on with her daughter, she felt powerless to act upon her worry.</p>
<p>Renee quickly made herself at home in Charlie's house this time. There was no awkwardness, no uncomfortable silences. Sharing her thoughts and confidences with Charlie and hearing his in return, over the past two weeks, renewed their familiarity with one another. There mutual concern for Bella and their growing disdain for the Cullens was the unifying bond between them. Shortly after Bella had left, Renee returned to the spare bedroom and began settling in for a prolonged stay.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>"Edward, Bella, welcome home," Eleazar called out as the aforementioned walked into the living-room of the Cullen house.</p>
<p>"Thank you," Edward responded blandly.</p>
<p>"Eleazar, Kate, Tanya, Carmen, it's good to see you again," Bella spoke up with a smile. "I hope you haven't been waiting long."</p>
<p>Three days earlier, the Cullens were made aware that the Denali Coven was returning to Forks. Eleazar called Carlisle in Jacksonville and advised him that he had information to share. He reported that the information was not urgent and that he preferred waiting until they were in a position to discuss it at length. The day of Carlisle's and family's return to Forks became the agreed upon time and place.</p>
<p>"We arrived around this time yesterday," Eleazar reported calmly. "The wait was no bother, but I do wish someone had thought to tell the shape-shifters that we come in peace. They've been trailing behind us and growling at us ever since we set foot on the peninsula."</p>
<p>"I told you that I'm sorry about that," an annoyed Jacob responded. "We've been seeing a lot of stray vampires about lately and its making us jumpy."</p>
<p>"Yeah, well you should consider putting a leash on them," Tanya spoke up testily. "One of your mutts got a little too close yesterday."</p>
<p>"We decide what's too close here," Jacob angrily put back.</p>
<p>"We're sorry for the misunderstanding," Carlisle quickly put in before Tanya could respond to Jacob's provocative.</p>
<p>The entire Cullen family was there in the living-room sitting or standing along with the Denali Coven and Jacob. Renesme was sitting on a patch of available space on the floor with her back to the wall.</p>
<p>"What did we miss?" Edward questioned in a monotone voice.</p>
<p>"The Volturi are still in Italy," Carlisle calmly spoke up. "Just as Alice said, but Eleazar has been telling us that they are growing in numbers."</p>
<p>"To what end," Edward questioned in a severe voice.</p>
<p>"That I cannot say," Eleazar answered back casually. "But my sources have advised me that there are far too many vampires in and about Volterra to be discretely supported by the available population of mortals."</p>
<p>"Do you think they're coming here?" Bella questioned in a concerned voice.</p>
<p>Edward took note of the fear in her voice but betrayed no evidence of this outwardly.</p>
<p>"Based upon the report of your wolfen friend here I suspect several of them are here already," Eleazar responded nonchalantly.</p>
<p>"Then you think we should be on our guard for a possible second attack on us," Jasper probed.</p>
<p>"I don't know what to think," Eleazar calmly responded. "But I thought we might visit with you for a while just in case."</p>
<p>Eleazar directed the latter part of his answer at Carlisle.</p>
<p>"I don't think you should do that," Carlisle responded back in a firm voice. "We can manage our affairs on our own."</p>
<p>Carlisle looked to Carmen, Kate and Tanya as he finished his disapproval.</p>
<p>"Good," Carmen spoke up defiantly, "then you should have no trouble entertaining guests."</p>
<p>Carlisle quickly resigned himself to the likely conclusion of this contention with a nod of his head. Rosalie and Alice allowed a brief snicker to escape in response to his reluctant resignation.</p>
<p>"Okay then," Carlisle abruptly spoke up sternly, "while you're here you will not venture out into the woods alone. We don't separate. We go together or not all."</p>
<p>"Whatever you say, Carlisle," Carmen playful answered back.</p>
<p>"What about my parents?" Bella sharply spoke up. "I thought we would be watching them."</p>
<p>"I'm still holding them in my thoughts," Alice answered back.</p>
<p>"They've slipped by you before," Bella quickly countered.</p>
<p>"No vampires, except for the ones in this room, are going to get anywhere near Charlie and Renee." Jacob spoke up in a defiant voice. "I promise you Bella, we won't let anyone get near them."</p>
<p>"How can you do that with the pack staying close to the reservation?" Bella challenged back.</p>
<p>"That was before Jacksonville," Jacob explained without hesitation. "We're out patrolling the woods about Forks again now that your soothsayer here has discovered there's a hole in her head."</p>
<p>Jacob directed the last part of his statement at Alice to which she responded with an infuriated look.</p>
<p>"And who's going to protect them?" Bella queried with apparent concern.</p>
<p>"Come on, Bella, get real," Jacob responded cavalierly. "They've got to catch us first. Sam's got the whole pack on strict orders not to engage if we can avoid it."</p>
<p>"This is serious Jacob," Bella lectured back at him. "This is not a game."</p>
<p>"Hey," Jacob responded in a dismissive voice, "I know you guys think you're the king of the forests, but when it comes down to a straight out run you're just a bunch of slow pokes. On top of which we can hear you guys coming from a mile away, and smell you from ten. In the forest, you guys are amateurs."</p>
<p>"And you're not as impressive as you think you are," Bella angrily rifled off.</p>
<p>Bella quickly looked to Carlisle with a concerned expression.</p>
<p>"Carlisle we can't leave the protection of my parents to those children," Bella pleaded.</p>
<p>"We're not, Bella," Carlisle began to explain with compassion, "but the shape-shifters are the best warning system we have after Alice. They can find threats better and communicate them faster then we can."</p>
<p>"And what if they slip by Alice again, and the wolves, what then?"</p>
<p>Carlisle had no satisfactory answer for that. He paused to find the words. Jacob quickly seized the silence to make a final plea.</p>
<p>"That's not going to happen, Bella. Your crystal ball here might get a little foggy sometimes," Jacob nodded towards Alice as he spoke. "But they're not going to get by us. I promise. The instant a strange vampire moves towards Forks you'll know it."</p>
<p>Bella took a moment to ponder Jacob's promise before backing away in a manner that suggested she did not like the plan, but she would live with it. The room went quiet as everyone noted her distress. Edward was particularly pained by this, and his anguished silence was all the more evident for it. Edward waited for anything more regarding this subject before putting a question to Eleazar, whose thoughts on he was interested in hearing.</p>
<p>"What about Jacksonville?"</p>
<p>"I wasn't able to find any information about Jacksonville," Eleazar flatly answered back. "I suppose they were trying to send a message to Bella that they can hurt her."</p>
<p>"Will they come after them again?" Bella asked with grave concern.</p>
<p>"There's no telling," Eleazar answered back with a nod of his head.</p>
<p>Confused, somewhat, by this answer Bella looked to Carlisle for clarification.</p>
<p>"Most vampires do not have close mortal family members who are still alive. This is a situation that no one here has ever faced before."</p>
<p>"So, you don't know if they're done or if they're going to keep coming after my parents," Bella queried in an anguished tone.</p>
<p>There was a short pause while everyone looked to everyone else to answer the question.</p>
<p>"Without knowing what the Volturi hope to gain by this, we can't answer that," Carmen offered back to Bella succinctly.</p>
<p>"We just have to take it one day at a time," Carlisle spoke up softly.</p>
<p>Carlisle took a moment to look about the room for any disagreement with this resolution. Eleazar spoke up again just as Carlisle was about to disband their meeting.</p>
<p>"There is something else you all should know."</p>
<p>All eyes once again turned to Eleazar.</p>
<p>"The Egyptian Coven is missing," Eleazar reported gently.</p>
<p>"What do you mean missing?" Esme quickly spoke up in an alarmed tone. "They're okay aren't they?"</p>
<p>"No one knows," Eleazar answered back. "They have not been seen, or heard from, for more than a month."</p>
<p>"None of them," Esme questioned with surprise.</p>
<p>"As far as we know," Eleazar reported calmly, "they are nowhere to be found in Egypt."</p>
<p>Everyone in the room was shocked by this news, with the exception of Jacob and Renesme. Even Bella was stunned by this report, despite her brief history as a vampire. One of the first things she learned as a vampire was that the circulation of rumors and reports about each other, and most especially about covens, was the commonly used method for the transmission of news throughout the vampire community. Vampires needed only to dispatch a few inquiries about another of their kind, and then wait for the return from same, to acquire new information about them. It was easy to keep tabs on Covens. Their fixed locations and designated territories made their dispositions and activities commonly passed along narratives. Nomadic vampires were much harder to keep tabs on, and if they chose to be almost impossible to find. This elusiveness of nomads notwithstanding, conversing about each other was the most popular social activity among vampires and the easiest way to keep tabs on most of them.</p>
<p>"Are there any suspicions or rumors regarding their fate?" Carlisle queried somberly.</p>
<p>"Not yet," Eleazar responded impassively. "But their absence has only just now been noticed. I'm sure the rumors will begin to well up very shortly."</p>
<p>"We don't need any rumors," Rosalie put in angrily. "There is only one coven with both the capability and the motive for this."</p>
<p>There was no immediate challenge to Rosalie's assertion. Everyone took a moment to ponder the same suspicion. Shortly Jasper spoke up and vocalized the problem that he had with this scenario.</p>
<p>"Why would they do this? They have to know that something like this is going to turn the community against them."</p>
<p>"They don't care anymore," Rosalie grumbled dryly.</p>
<p>"They care," Carlisle gruffly contradicted.</p>
<p>"Then there has to be another motive," Eleazar calmly inserted.</p>
<p>"No, they screwed up," Rosalie defended. "They got angry and went after the Egyptian Coven before they thought it through."</p>
<p>"Aro doesn't get angry, and he always thinks things through," Carlisle corrected.</p>
<p>Rosalie had no response for that. Everyone paused to consider Carlisle's words. Shortly Edward filled the silence with the query that everyone was thinking.</p>
<p>"So, what is he thinking right now?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. New Developments</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the next three months little happened in Forks. More than a dozen vampires ventured back and forth across the distant perimeter that the shape-shifters set about the community. These intrusions were short and never exceeded more than three vampires at any given time. The shape-shifters were always quick to discover these excursions onto the peninsula and to make their presence known to them. Nearly every member of the shape-shifter pack at one time or another enjoyed a minor sensation of triumph from the sight of one of these nomadic vampires running away from them. The Cullens suspected that these encroachments were test runs and these vampires were not running from the shape-shifters, but were in actuality running from them. They believed this because of the injunction they dispatched declaring the Olympic Peninsula off limits to all vampires without permission from them to be there. All interested members of the vampire community already guessed that the shape-shifters were the eyes, ears, and noses of the Olympic Coven. The appearance of one or more member of the Olympic Coven and a wolf form shape-shifter together, checking the movement of an unknown vampire wandering about the peninsula, supported this belief.</p>
<p>Edicts from a coven with regards to the territory that they claimed were not uncommon. Covens routinely forbade wandering vampires from feeding within the boundaries of their domain. Within the vampire community, this was simply a matter of good business. Nomadic vampires were often indiscrete with regards to whom they took as victims and how many. Generally, transient vampires had no regards for the consequences of their activities. Covens were completely the opposite in this. Who and how many was very much a concern of theirs. The unease and suspicion that was generated by numerous, sudden and inexplicable disappearances risked making their presence suspect. To prevent this from occurring covens as a rule declared the boundaries of their domain via the vampire grapevine. Restraint by a visiting vampire was usually a matter of courtesy, if not one of fear. What was uncommon about this edict, by the Cullens, was the assertion that no vampire may enter their territory without permission from them. This was all but a challenge to the supremacy of the Volturi.</p>
<p>Inside Forks and the surrounding forest all was quiet. Charlie enjoyed three relatively uneventful months. His curiosity about the Cullens, however, had not dwindled during this time. His distress regarding them had, in fact, increased. From his perspective, Bella and the Cullens in general appeared to have quarantined themselves from the rest of the community. His only contact with his daughter was a daily phone call to inquire about the well being of Renee. On four separate occasions, Charlie drove out to the Cullen's house only to find them gone. Carlisle judged that these uninvited visits had to be discouraged to prevent Charlie's presence from impeding their ability to respond quickly to a new threat. Bella's attempts at dissuading him from making these unannounced inspections had no effect. After the fourth unsuccessful attempt at a surprise visit, Charlie got the message.</p>
<p>The absence of direct contact with his daughter forced Charlie to become far more aggressive in his disguised interrogations of Billy Black and Sue Clearwater. These friendly talks, as Charlie characterized them, convinced Billy to discontinue his visits with Charlie. Sue Clearwater was equally reluctant to visit the Swan household, but was obliged to by a promise to the Cullens to stay close to Renee during Charlie's absences. Sue, for the most part, pleaded ignorance about the Cullens when Charlie inquired about them. The one thing that she did readily profess was her belief that the Cullens were extremely fond of Bella. While Charlie took some solace from this, he was anything but satisfied with it.</p>
<p>By this time, Renee had settled into a semi-comfortable routine, despite her developing pregnancy. Her remaining affairs in Jacksonville, Florida and Phoenix, Arizona were taken care of by out of state friends and family and were orchestrated and financed by the Cullens, Bella in particular. Renee spent much of her day relaxing while Sue Clearwater cleaned the house and catered to her needs. This sedentary existence routinely became too boring for her to endure and she would get up to help Sue prepare the evening meal, often over her objections. During her times alone with Sue, she inferred that Sue and several within the Quileute tribe had an unusual relationship with the Cullens. Her attempts to discover the basis of this connection by coaxing her into voluntary discussions garnered no real information. Sue's repeated checks upon herself not to say too much told Renee that there was a deep, dark secret there and that those who knew it would likely not surrender it easily.</p>
<p>During their down time, Renee and Charlie would pursue their separate interests when they were not discussing the Cullens. There was no discomfort here. The weeks and months spent alone with only each other's company renewed an old familiarity between them. A contented silence or a shared television event was often the height of their evenings together. When they were discussing the Cullens, this always involved the trading of new thoughts and revelations. Despite this sharing of confidences, Renee's belief that Charlie was not entirely forthcoming with everything he knew increased with each new day, and of late she began to call him on it.</p>
<p>"What is it that you're not telling me, Charlie?"</p>
<p>"What I know has no direct connection to Bella or the Cullens," Charlie confessed after weeks of inquiries and accusations.</p>
<p>"But you do believe there is an indirect connection," Renee challenged back.</p>
<p>"I can't tell you what I know until I know everything," Charlie threw out with the hope that this answer would stop the questions.</p>
<p>"Why is that, Charlie?" An exasperated Renee pressed on.</p>
<p>"Because you wouldn't believe me," Charlie declared with finality.</p>
<p>"How do you know I wouldn't believe you?" Renee questioned with a puzzled expression.</p>
<p>"Because I wouldn't believe it myself if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."</p>
<p>"Seen what, Charlie?" Renee quickly challenged once again with the aim of prying out the truth with a sudden outburst of emotion.</p>
<p>"Leave it alone, Renee," Charlie answered back dejectedly. "Please, just leave it alone for now."</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>The Cullens had also been enjoying three relatively uneventful months. Despite the periodic alarms from a shape-shifter about an unknown, wandering vampire, the Cullens had little to do. Turning back these excursions onto the peninsula became a routine process. They needed only to make an appearance before them to run them off, and this act had become even less necessary of late. The presence of a shape-shifter was increasingly all that was needed to set them to flight. The absence of this exercise was beginning to drive them into an acute state of boredom.</p>
<p>A variety of games and outdoor activities had increasingly become the antidote to their self imposed isolation. The growing number and size of rain storms in this early spring season made baseball a popular diversion. When they were not outside they amused themselves with indoor games and activities. There was very little information coming in from the external community of vampires for the Cullens to discuss. Typically Carlisle would have received more than a dozen visits, or phone calls, from other vampire acquaintances regaling him on the reports, rumors and gossip from around the world. The sudden absence of these communications suggested to the family that a growing number of vampires and covens did not want to be perceived as allied with them.</p>
<p>The Denali Coven was the opposite of this, and their friendship and commitment remained fiercely intact. Their visit with the Cullens spanned the past three months and showed every sign that it would continue indefinitely. The values and behavior that they shared combined with their joint history had made the Cullens as dear to them as family, and vice versa. The addition of Renesme also played a role in the Denali Coven's immense fondness for the Cullens. Kate in particular reveled in the play with this fast growing half vampire.</p>
<p>"I can almost see her growing before my eyes," Kate gushed for all to hear. "You are quite the little miracle, Nessie."</p>
<p>Kate took Renesme into her arms and embraced her with all the love she could express within that act. Renesme looked all of ten years of age and spoke with the eloquence of a child of thirteen or fourteen.</p>
<p>"I believe her mind is growing even faster than her body," Tanya mused. "Is that your doing, Bella?"</p>
<p>"I suspect it has something to do with her being a partial vampire," Bella answered back. "She learns things very quickly."</p>
<p>"Is that right, Nessie," Kate toyed with her. "Are you a fast learner?"</p>
<p>"I suppose," Renesme pondered her answer back with an unsure voice.</p>
<p>"You suppose," Kate queried with delight. "Don't you know?"</p>
<p>"How fast am I supposed to learn?" Renesme questioned with curiosity.</p>
<p>Kate and Tanya quickly laughed at this. Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper and Eleazar also took some amusement from Renesme's question with hints of a grin. Bella proudly smiled at her bright little daughter even as Edward remained impassive. Not present for this little family cluster were Carlisle, Esme, Alice and Carmen. Jacob was not in attendance, as well. His need to periodically make appearances before Sam and the rest of the pack drew him away for much of this day. Everyone, with the exception of Renesme, was happy to see him leave. Despite Jacob's absence a shape-shifter in wolfen form always remained on station just outside the home to keep the communication link intact.</p>
<p>"You are quite right," Eleazar agreed after a time. "How are we to discern what is fast for you?"</p>
<p>Another round of smiles and laughter gushed out.</p>
<p>"Well, take my word for it," Tanya spoke up with a smile. "You are a very fast learner by comparison to any children we have ever seen. You are very special, little one."</p>
<p>"Because I'm part vampire?" Renesme quickly queried back.</p>
<p>"Yes," Tanya answered back. "And because of that extraordinary talent you have for sharing your thoughts with a touch."</p>
<p>Renesme accepted this acknowledgement with a smile.</p>
<p>"That is an amazing gift," Kate quickly agreed. "But it's strange that this should be your ability," Kate began to ponder, "given the fact that your mother is a shield and your father a mind reader."</p>
<p>"There's nothing unusual about it," Eleazar contradicted. "She takes after her father."</p>
<p>Eleazar's correction quickly caught the attention of all within the room, not least of which was Edward.</p>
<p>"But Edward read minds," Kate threw out ponderously. "Nessie communicates by touch."</p>
<p>"Same difference," Eleazar challenged back with nary a thought.</p>
<p>All eyes focused on Eleazar for an explanation, to which he shortly took note of with a surprised expression.</p>
<p>"She's doing the same thing Edward is doing in reverse," Eleazar announced as if he were stating the obvious.</p>
<p>Edward suddenly became intensely interested in what Eleazar was thinking.</p>
<p>"They're not the same though," Jasper argued. "Edward hears thoughts from the people around him. Nessie inserts her thoughts."</p>
<p>"Edward doesn't hear anyone's thoughts," Eleazar corrected in an astonished tone of voice. "He invades the minds of the people around him and extracts their thoughts."</p>
<p>All eyes turned to Edward with questioning looks. His attention was still riveted to Eleazar who noted everyone's surprise and immediately qualified his statement.</p>
<p>"He's doing it subconsciously of course."</p>
<p>Eleazar quickly read the faces about him for the effect of his words. With the exception of Renesme, all were still surprised by this but no longer incriminatory in their looks. A brief time passed as everyone assimilated this information.</p>
<p>"So why doesn't Nessie read thoughts?" An intrigued, Jasper inquired.</p>
<p>"I suspect she can," Eleazar guessed.</p>
<p>"What are you saying?" Bella questioned accusingly. "My daughter has been reading minds and not telling anyone."</p>
<p>"No," Eleazar quickly went on the defensive. "I'm saying that Nessie has always been more interested in communicating her thoughts. After all, she started using this ability from the day she was born. Babies are all about communicating what they want, what they need, how they feel. Instinctively all she knows how to do is project her thoughts."</p>
<p>"And me," Edward quickly queried.</p>
<p>"Your gift began the day you became a vampire as a young man," Eleazar continued to explain. "Mature minds are almost always suspicious, curious, inquiring; protective even. Everything an infant is not. So instinctively you used this ability to extract information. You're both opposite sides of the same gift."</p>
<p>"It's just as I always figured," Rosalie humorously remarked with a hint of superiority. "You're just a Peeping Tom."</p>
<p>Emmett, Tanya and Kate, laughed in response. Jasper was also amused but was reluctant to let it show. Edward ignored Rosalie's playful banter as he continued to focus in on Eleazar's thinking.</p>
<p>"But you're saying I can project my thoughts if I wanted to," Edward queried Eleazar once again.</p>
<p>"I suppose," Eleazar responded indecisively. "It would take some practice I suspect."</p>
<p>"Why is that?" Bella queried curiously.</p>
<p>"If it was easy enough to do," Eleazar explained back nonchalantly, "he would have done it by now."</p>
<p>"Well I'm game for a little sport," Kate eagerly spoke up. "Give me your best shot, Edward."</p>
<p>Everyone, minus Eleazar, suddenly became intrigued. Renesme was giddy with excitement. Edward needed little encouragement from the others to try this. The prospect of exploring and possibly developing a new capability gave him hope for some new advantage that he might be able to use in their defense, not that he had high hopes for the ability of communicating his thoughts directly into another person's mind. He never saw much use for Renesme's gift. However, he always saw her as a child playing with a toy and often wondered if she might somehow expand upon this gift, when she matured. Edward thought that maybe a capability like Zafrina's would come in handy. If he could obscure someone's vision or make them see only what he wanted them to see, then he would be able to handicap an opponent. Or Jane's ability to inflict pain would be ideal. Edward could only hope that by projecting his thoughts that he might be able to protect his family; that he might be able to protect Bella from Felix, unlike his failure to do so before.</p>
<p>"You can do it, Daddy," Renesme encouraged with delight.</p>
<p>Edward focused his attention on Kate, as if he were studying her, and began to hold a thought in his mind. The room went quiet as all their watched and waited. Kate looked back at Edward as if she were waiting for him to say something. After two minutes of this, a smile crept across Kate's face. It continued to expand until she could no longer restrain herself from laughing.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry Edward, but you're either thinking of nothing at all or you're brain dead," Kate blurted out in the mix of a grin.</p>
<p>"I vote for brain dead," Rosalie threw out with a laugh.</p>
<p>A brief round of laughter erupted from all within the room except Eleazar and Bella. Eleazar was too serious for such jovial displays, and Bella was simply unamused.</p>
<p>"Ignore her," Bella spoke into Edward's ear.</p>
<p>This was a wasted message. Edward was quite use to staying detached from Rosalie's jabs. Nearly a hundred years of reading the thoughts of others had disciplined him to be oblivious to the silliness of others.</p>
<p>"Let's try again," Edward spoke up after briefly pondering what he did wrong.</p>
<p>Kate casually agreed to be his guinea pig once again. After a dozen minutes of nothing, Tanya switched places with her sister. Another twenty minutes passed with nothing to show for the effort.</p>
<p>"I think you're trying too hard," Jasper threw out to break the silence.</p>
<p>After another ten minutes of silence, all were beginning to get restless with this exercise. Even Renesme found a nearby toy to amuse herself with. Edward was still determined to try.</p>
<p>"Hey man, you should give it up," Emmett spoke up nonchalantly. "I hate to tell you this, but it's not going to happen."</p>
<p>"Wait, wait, wait," Tanya immediately announced as she stood up.</p>
<p>Tanya pondered Edward as if she were seeing something new. Everyone else in the room quickly renewed their attention on them both. A dozen seconds passed, without a word being said or a sound being made, before a hint of a smile curled up on Tanya's face.</p>
<p>"Are you trying to hurt me, Edward?" Tanya inquired with a smile.</p>
<p>"What happened?" Edward eagerly queried.</p>
<p>"I felt your mind inside my head for a brief moment and then it was it gone. It was very quick, only a few seconds."</p>
<p>"What was he thinking?" Kate quickly queried.</p>
<p>"You were thinking pain, weren't you?" Tanya questioned Edward.</p>
<p>"Something-like that," Edward grumbled back with a hint of dejection.</p>
<p>"But I think you were trying to inflict it more than communicate it," Tanya reported in a questioning tone.</p>
<p>"So, you're trying to be another Jane?" Emmett questioned with a laugh.</p>
<p>"I was just trying to see if it were possible to duplicate the effect," Edward somberly announced back.</p>
<p>"Jane doesn't project her thoughts," Eleazar reported casually. "She projects pain. For her, it's not a thought. It's a will. I suspect she was a very spoiled little girl, in her human form, and subsequently perverted her families' latent gift for exerting their will into an instrument of pain. The same is true for her brother but to a different effect."</p>
<p>"So, it's not possible to project pain into another person's consciousness," a curious, Jasper inquired of Eleazar.</p>
<p>"I doubt it," Eleazar replied nonchalantly. "That would be like projecting pain into your own mind. Mind readers are thought connecters. All they really do is exchange data."</p>
<p>"How about Zafrina," Edward eagerly inquired. "She can make people see things that are not there."</p>
<p>"Zafrina is projecting a hallucination," Eleazar casually corrected. "It's strictly a one-way street. There is no connection there. She simply aims and fires."</p>
<p>"So what good is projecting my thoughts?" Edward pointedly questioned Eleazar with a hint of anger.</p>
<p>Eleazar remained unfazed by Edward's passionate question and answered it as succinctly as he could. "You'll have to tell me that."</p>
<p>"So, you don't know," Edward angrily rifled back.</p>
<p>Bella quickly became concerned for Edward because of the tone of his voice and placed her hand upon his arm in hopes of calming his growing anger. Renesme shrank back a little from her father's heated disposition.</p>
<p>"No Edward," Eleazar delicately answered back. "I only have my suspicions to guide me in this."</p>
<p>"I'm sorry," Edward lamented. "I needed more than an exchange of thoughts. I need an edge, an advantage."</p>
<p>"I think you're looking at this all wrong," Jasper spoke up soberly. "Maybe you can use this ability to distract an opponent."</p>
<p>"That sounds pretty slim," Emmett directly challenged. "Tossing out random thoughts isn't going to block a fist."</p>
<p>"But it might distract an assailant just long enough for Edward to get an advantage," Jasper corrected. "It might be just what you need to make that whole mind reading trick an effective weapon."</p>
<p>Edward quickly gathered from Jasper's thoughts what he meant by that. When it came to hand to hand combat, Edward was a formidable opponent against any adversary of similar or lesser size than he. However, his ability to anticipate an attack by reading it from his opponent's thoughts had a severe drawback. In a drawn out and fast moving battle, an adversary could often catch Edward in his head sorting through thoughts and not fighting. This was something that Jasper and Emmett had learned from experience. In mock battles against Edward or Alice, the plan was always to keep either of the two psychics engaged in a fast paced and prolonged conflict in order to force them to abandon their intuitive gifts and fend for themselves without it. The thought that Jasper was rolling about in his mind was that maybe Edward could reverse this effect and distract an adversary's thinking with thoughts that he put there.</p>
<p>"You're right," Edward quickly spoke up with new enthusiasm.</p>
<p>Everyone there was used to Edward's acknowledgements of unspoken thoughts and promptly filed it away as something they would acquire from Jasper later.</p>
<p>"Let's try again," Edward queried the room for a volunteer.</p>
<p>Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper, ignored Edward's entreaty. Eleazar continued to display his passive disinterest in the whole event, and Bella was automatically excluded because of her shielding from psychic abilities. After a short pause, Kate volunteered once again if only to rest Tanya for a time.</p>
<p>Once again Edward set about to the task of inserting his thoughts into the mind of Kate, and once again the process was long and arduous. Edward's intense concentration looked to be having no effect on Kate. On three separate occasions, Edward challenged her on this with the inquiry:</p>
<p>"Did you feel anything?"</p>
<p>To each inquiry the answer was the same from Kate.</p>
<p>"No, nothing..."</p>
<p>After fifteen minutes of effort Esme and Carmen silently entered the room. They had been listening to these events from afar as they conversed between themselves. Carlisle was also monitoring these events, but he was too content with his own affairs to look in on the group. Esme and Carmen quietly walked over to a pair of chairs and sat down delicately, hoping not to distract Edward. Despite this effort, the disruption was there. Edward's mind began to wonder as more and more of the thoughts of nearly all about him began to take on greater significance in his mind than the task at hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>            Give it up guy, it's not happening. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>            Whatever he's doing, it's not working. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>            Maybe it has something to do with Kate. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>            He can't do it. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Suddenly, a surge of anger welled up inside Edward, and he pushed his mind with ferocity toward Kate. There was no thought, no word, no idea or plan behind it. There was only his determination to insert his mind inside her head.</p>
<p>"Whoa!" Kate suddenly spoke up as she brought her hand to her head.</p>
<p>"What happened?" Bella quickly inquired.</p>
<p>"All of a sudden I just felt dizzy," Kate reported with surprise. "Did you do that?" She queried of Edward.</p>
<p>The question was rhetorical. It was common knowledge to all within the room that vampires did not get ill, or sleepy, or exhausted, or dizzy.</p>
<p>"I suppose I did," Edward answered back. "But I'm not sure what it was I did, or how I did it."</p>
<p>"Try doing it again," Jasper insisted.</p>
<p>"Wait, wait; aim that thing at someone else. I'm tired of being the guinea pig," Kate abruptly shouted out as she flagged Edward off.</p>
<p>The rest of the group dutifully took turns as targets for Edward's new trick with paltry results. Over the next three hours, he reproduced the effect nine times after a maximum of fifteen minutes of effort and a minimum of three. Bored with the exercise, everyone begged Edward for a postponement from further experimentation, to which he reluctantly agreed. Edward was not heartened by this result, but he was optimistic about its potential.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Edward's minor success at projecting his mind, if not his thoughts, into another being became the most popular topic of conversation within the Cullen household for the rest of the day. Over the next two days, he learned to reproduce the effect with no more than a minute's worth of effort, but the outcome was always an instant of dizziness and then it was gone. The amount of time it took to manifest this ability continued to bother him as did the fact that he always needed to start from scratch to repeat the effect.</p>
<p>Despite everyone's suggestion that he learn to communicate thoughts, rather than project his mind, Edward was determined to do the contrary. This was a capability he felt he could use to give him an advantage in a fight, and he was determined to hone this gift to a fine edge. No one else within the Cullen household was equally enthused. Minus Bella, Renesme and Alice all had grown very tired of being Edward's test targets.</p>
<p>Alice was precluded from being one of Edward's victims because of her need to stay focused on matters external to the home. For Alice, this was her own version tedium. During most days, she would have happily traded places with anyone else in the house so that her mind could escape the boredom of distant musings and enjoy the events of the here and now. This monotony was exasperated by the fact that of late nothing of interest was developing in this metaphorical darkroom of hers. This all changed on the afternoon of the third day of Edward's thought projecting test trials. Alice raced into the house and came to a sudden stop within the living-room. Her accelerated movement quickly caught the attention of everyone else inside and outside of the home. Everyone, including Jacob, quickly converged within the living-room only to find Alice still and erect there with a large smile on her face.</p>
<p>"What is it?" Esme questioned in a concerned voice.</p>
<p>"Nothing, nothing at all," Alice answered while barely containing her excitement.</p>
<p>Edward involuntarily peered into Alice's mind and extricated the truth behind her behavior. This was an event that Alice had already foreseen. She quickly admonished him from saying anything with a sharp, "hush!"</p>
<p>Carlisle had thought to repeat Esme's question in a different form but elected to say nothing after Alice's rebuke of Edward. He knew from experience that something was about to play out, and all he needed to do is wait. After a brief, awkward silence, the cordless phone sitting atop the coffee table began to ring. No one had noticed that it was Alice who procured it and placed it there. After a brief hesitation, by all, Esme reached down to answer it.</p>
<p>"No!" Alice quickly forbade her. "It's for Bella," she continued on with an even larger smile.</p>
<p>All eyes turned to Bella. She paused to note their attention. Renesme stood by her side bouncing with anxious exhilaration. A moment later Bella picked up the phone and answered the call amidst the curious gaze of her family and friends.</p>
<p>"Hello," Bella spoke into the phone calmly. She then paused to hear the reply.</p>
<p>"Hi Dad, is there something wrong?"</p>
<p>On the other end of the line, Charlie quickly informed Bella that Renee went into labor and was on her way to the hospital.</p>
<p>"Oh okay, I'm on my way," Bella responded back excitedly.</p>
<p>As soon as Bella hung up the phone, a bouncing Alice snatched her up into a hug.</p>
<p>"Congratulations Bella, your new baby brother is about to be born."</p>
<p>Alice's excitement became instantly contagious. Bella was quickly passed around for hugs from everyone. Renesme was drawn up into the celebration, as well. She too was passed around for hugs and congratulations on the imminent birth of her new baby uncle. Shortly Bella began to pull away from the festivity.</p>
<p>"I need to get to the hospital."</p>
<p>"There's no hurry," Alice casually corrected. "The baby is not going to be born for another five hours.</p>
<p>"Yes, but I still have to make an appearance as if I didn't know that," Bella corrected her back.</p>
<p>Later that evening Renee and son, Phillip Dwyer Junior, received visitors for the first time as mother and child. Bella, Edward and Charlie, tiptoed into the hospital room where they were resting. Renee lied propped up in bed with Phil Junior asleep in her arms.</p>
<p>"Hi mom, how are you feeling," Bella gushed as she moved to within inches of mother and son.</p>
<p>"We're okay," Renee answered back with a contented smile.</p>
<p>"He's beautiful," Bella continued with a smile. "I'm so happy for you."</p>
<p>"I think he has his father's little nose," Renee responded with an inflection of baby talk.</p>
<p>"Congratulations, Mrs. Dwyer," Edward announced from the foot of her bed. "You have a very handsome son."</p>
<p>Renee acknowledged this at first with a suspicious glance before looking to Charlie who was standing not far from Edward. Together they both shared a moment of veiled enmity. Edward was indifferent to this surreptitious look as was Bella. A moment later, Renee responded to Edward's felicitation with a cool, "thank you." </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Tearing at the Seams</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The delivery of Phil Dwyer Junior was routine. Renee and son were out the front door of the hospital on the afternoon of the next day. Charlie was there to pick her and son up and take them to his home as prearranged by Bella the day before. Charlie took silent objection to being conscripted into conveying Renee back to the house, on a work day, when Bella had no perceivable restrictions from doing so in his stead. Nonetheless, he chose to continue playing the, <em>don't ask don't tell</em>, game.</p>
<p>Bella did not want to spend any time away from the Cullen family that she did not have too. The rest of the Cullens agreed with this thinking and routinely encouraged her to delegate as much of her mother's care as she could to her father. Despite this absence, Bella did have plans for her mother, and new brother, this day.</p>
<p>When Charlie and Renee came to within a block of the house they could not help but notice half a dozen cars parked within proximity of the home. Charlie's parking space was unoccupied as usual, and he easily settled his car there. Outside of the home dozens of helium filled balloons decorated the yard and lined the walkway. Above the door to the house, a large banner read, "Welcome Home Renee and Phillip." Before they could get out of the car, Bella, Alice and Esme, were out the front door and standing on the porch with large smiles on their faces. Renee gently carried Li'l Phil up the walkway towards the front stairs to the house.</p>
<p>“High mom, welcome home,” Bella cried out as Renee began her ascent of the stairs.</p>
<p>Alice and Esme echoed Bella’s sentiment with even greater enthusiasm. As soon as she reached the landing the trio began to gush at the sight of Li'l Phil in the infant carrier that Renee was holding. No one was inclined to give Renee a hug while she was so burdened. Instead, they gently ushered her inside. Charlie followed behind shortly, after retrieving Renee’s overnight bag along with an assortment of newborn paraphernalia.</p>
<p>Renee was uncomfortable seeing the Cullens there. Her growing concerns about this family made her feel uneasy about their proximity to her son. Bella’s cheerful demeanor around them and their familiar association with her was enough to check her insecurities. She smiled and responded politely to their congratulations as she showed off Li'l Phil.</p>
<p>Inside the house, Renee found the rest of the Cullen family. Waiting with them were Jacob and Billy Black, and Sue Clearwater. Their presence provided some peace of mind to Renee about the event. She did not feel as uncomfortable around Charlie's Quileute friends, despite the fact that she knew them to be harboring a secret about the Cullens. The fact that they held this secret, and still chose to associate with them, gave her reason to expect that whatever it was, it was not as terrible as her imagination was making it. Unbeknownst to her the Cullens made a special appeal for Billy's and Sue's presence there for just this reason. Normally their association with the Cullens did not include fraternization.</p>
<p>A mound of baby gifts sat on or about the coffee table in the living-room. The interior of the room was lavishly decorated with streamers and balloons. Bella and Alice ushered Renee and Li'l Phil over to the sofa behind this display of gifts and immediately began to urge her to unwrap the ones with concealed contents. Renee obediently did so as Li'l Phil slept in the infant carrier next to her.</p>
<p>Charlie entered the house nearly a minute after Renee, restored the overnight bag to the spare bedroom and left. It took him no longer than two minutes to do this. He had no desire to compete for anyone's attention there. He suspected that the guests within the house would be too attentive to Renee, or Li'l Phil, for him to learn anything new about the Cullens. He also had work to do from which this event was keeping him. Charlie quickly left in a huff. He suspected that he did so without the notice of anyone there. He was wrong. The Cullens had all but counted his steps from the moment he entered the house until he left.</p>
<p>For a little more than an hour, Renee feigned a happy demeanor as she opened more than a dozen gift packages and marveled at their contents. As she did this, the assembled group of welcomers intermittently gushed over the sight of Li'l Phil as he wondered in and out of sleep in the carrier. Normally Renee would have paid little attention to this, but this was the Cullens and everything they did interested her. Over the course of this visit, she began to notice a distinct pattern. The Cullens, minus Renesme, were surprisingly standoffish when it came to Li'l Phil. Not once during this visit did any of the Cullens put a hand in the carrier. What she found equally as strange was that when Sue, Billy and Jacob removed Li'l Phil from it not one of them thought to pass him to any of the Cullens, Bella included.</p>
<p>It took Renee another thirty minutes to exhaust her supply of astounded acknowledgements and anecdotal birthing stories. She coyly ended the festivities with the suggestion that Phil Junior probably needed some quiet time. This attempt at an artful maneuver worked too well she thought. It seemed to her that the Cullens began to disburse in unison, as if on cue. Billy and Jacob made their goodbyes in turn as if they were following the Cullen's lead. Sue insisted on staying behind so that she could clean up the aftermath of this gathering. Bella was the only one among the group that Renee requested stay behind.</p>
<p>"What's happening here, Bella?" Renee questioned in a serious tone of voice.</p>
<p>Sue had already discretely removed herself from this conversation with the pretext of starting her cleanup with the front yard. The rest of the welcomers were on their way to their homes with the exception of Edward who was waiting outside by his car.</p>
<p>"I'm welcoming you home, Mom," Bella responded with surprise. "What else would I be doing?"</p>
<p>"This is not my home, Bella," Renee countered heatedly.</p>
<p>"You know what I mean, Mom," Bella insisted politely.</p>
<p>"No, I don't, Bella. Most of the time when we speak nowadays I don't know what you mean at all."</p>
<p>"Mom, please," Bella exclaimed.</p>
<p>"I'm not staying here Bella," Renee interrupted with defiance.</p>
<p>"Mom, you shouldn't run off right now," Bella sharply retorted. "You've just had a baby. You don't have a job. Let us take care of you for a while; until you get back on your feet."</p>
<p>"But you're not taking care of me now," Renee challenged back. "I'm leaving this house, Bella. This is not my home."</p>
<p>Bella's demeanor suddenly became much more serious.</p>
<p>"Mother, I need you to stay here in this house and in Forks for now. Later you can run off to Jacksonville or Phoenix or wherever you want. I'll help you get situated wherever you want. But for now, I need you to stay here."</p>
<p>"Why Bella, why, why must I stay here in this house?"</p>
<p>Bella turned away infuriated that she could not provide the answer she desperately wanted to give.</p>
<p>"Honey, what's happened to you?" Renee pleaded.</p>
<p>"Nothing's wrong with me, Mom. I just need you to do this for me."</p>
<p>"Don't tell me there's nothing wrong. I'm your mother. I've known you all your life and ever since you've gotten involved with those Cullens you've been acting strange. At first I tried not to notice because I thought you were happy. But now, you look like you're scared."</p>
<p>"I not scared for me, Mom," Bella rifled back. "I'm scared for you and Li'l Phil."</p>
<p>Renee became immediately alarmed by this statement.</p>
<p>"How is my son in danger?" Renee demanded in a near hysterical tone of voice.</p>
<p>"I can't explain it. Mom, I just need you to trust me."</p>
<p>"Does this have something to do with Phil's disappearance?" Renee continued to push in an insistent voice.</p>
<p>Bella was hesitant to respond to this. Her natural aversion to lying to her parents suddenly clashed with her need to provide a convincing reason why Renee should not leave. A stunned Renee watched as Bella formulated an answer that was neither a lie nor a confession of the truth.</p>
<p>"Maybe..."</p>
<p>An infuriated Renee could do nothing but stare at her daughter for nearly a half a minute.</p>
<p>"You knew that Phil was in danger, and you didn't call the police?" Renee questioned in disbelief.</p>
<p>"We didn't know until it was too late," Bella confessed somberly.</p>
<p>"We," Renee questioned hysterically. "We didn't know? What have these people done to you?"</p>
<p>Bella quickly calculated that she needed to assert herself and change the subject.</p>
<p>"This is not about the Cullens."</p>
<p>"You called me, Bella," Renee all but shouted. "You called me and convinced me to get on a plane in the middle of the night. Why didn't you call the police?"</p>
<p>Bella could think of no cleverly deceptive answer for this question in short order. She backed away frustrated by the constraints that guided her every word, and as the seconds ticked away Renee became all the more angry by the silence.</p>
<p>"I'm leaving here," Renee declared in a defiant tone of voice. "I'm leaving this house. I'm leaving Forks, and I'm leaving you."</p>
<p>Bella's concern for her mother's safety suddenly superseded any regard for her feelings. Instantly she knew that there was only one tack that would hold Renee in check, and she did not hesitate to use it. Calmly and deliberately a now erect and rigid Bella moved to within a foot from her mother. Renee was immediately taken aback by the grim seriousness displayed upon her face.</p>
<p>"If you leave Forks, Mother, you and Li'l Phil will disappear too."</p>
<p>Bella left Renee inside Charlie's house without explaining the last remark she made. She knew that there was nothing further she could say without explaining everything. She was also convinced that Renee was not going anywhere, not if it meant risking the safety of Li'l Phil. She also suspected that she had set into motion a confrontation between her parents and her coven.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>"What did you do?" Alice yelled out the instant Bella, and Edward, walked into the house.</p>
<p>The rest of the family had already been apprised by Alice of her vision of the near future. It was now Edward's and Bella's turn.</p>
<p>"I had to do something," Bella defended. "My mother was threatening to leave Forks."</p>
<p>"She wouldn't have left," Alice complained. "Charlie would have convinced her to stay. Now both Charlie and Renee will be coming here, and they're going to want answers."</p>
<p>Edward quickly spoke up for his bewildered wife. "She didn't know Alice. Give it a rest."</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Renee's mind began racing through all of her worst fears about the Cullens the moment Bella left. She spent the rest of the afternoon nervously fidgeting about the house when she was not querying Sue with direct questions on what she knew about the Cullens. Frustrated by Renee's pestering inquiries Sue flatly told her after a time to "talk to the Cullens about the Cullens." From that moment on, Sue refused to speak until she said her good nights while passing by Charlie at the front doorway.</p>
<p>"What's wrong with her?" Charlie questioned Renee shortly after Sue raced out the door.</p>
<p>"We have to talk," Renee insisted in an agitated tone of voice while entirely ignoring Charlie's question.</p>
<p>"Okay," Charlie responded as he closed the door. He then followed Renee into the living-room.</p>
<p>Charlie noted Renee's distress and quickly queried her about it.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?"</p>
<p>"Bella told me that if I and my son were to leave Forks, we would both disappear just like Phil."</p>
<p>"When did she say this?" Charlie queried urgently.</p>
<p>"Today, this afternoon," Renee blurted back at him. "There has to be something criminally wrong with those people. Can't you do something or call someone to have those people investigated?"</p>
<p>"We might endanger Bella if we do something like that," Charlie countered flatly.</p>
<p>"Bella just got through telling me that my son is in danger," Renee rifled back hysterically. "Don't talk to me about the best thing I can do for Bella, those people need to be arrested."</p>
<p>"I doubt arresting the Cullens is going to solve this problem," Charlie soberly spoke back.</p>
<p>"What the hell does that mean, Charlie," Renee yelled back. "My husband is gone, presumably killed and those people are involved somehow. How can you not want to arrest them?"</p>
<p>"Because," Charlie began speaking slowly and carefully as he searched for the words. "I suspect that this situation is beyond the reach of conventional police work."</p>
<p>"Don't do this, Charlie," a still agitated Renee responded. "Don't talk to me in riddles, and half answers, not now. Not while my daughter is telling me that my son's life is in danger. I'm not going to sit here and listen to this crap."</p>
<p>"Okay, okay," Charlie placated with palms faced out. "I'll tell you everything, but I need you to sit down first. Please!"</p>
<p>Renee took a seat on the sofa and began to relax under Charlie's urging. After a minute of deep breathing, Renee coaxed Charlie along with a soft, but insistent, "well?"</p>
<p>"You're not going to believe what I'm about to tell you," Charlie began to explain after taking a couple of deep breathes of his own.</p>
<p>"Just tell me, Charlie," Renee prodded in a soft voice.</p>
<p>"There's something supernatural going on out there," Charlie explained softly. "This much I know."</p>
<p>"Supernatural?" Renee queried with a hint of incredulity.</p>
<p>"I don't know how the Cullens fit into this yet, but I'm convinced that they're not what they represent themselves to be, or they're more than what they represent themselves to be. I haven't figured that out yet."</p>
<p>"And you know this how?" Renee asked with disbelief.</p>
<p>"Jacob Black," Charlie whispered out reluctantly. "I saw him turn into a wolf right in front of me."</p>
<p>Renee took a moment to shake her head in disbelief before responding.</p>
<p>"You can't actually believe that, Charlie."</p>
<p>"I told you that you weren't going to believe me."</p>
<p>"I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the idea that you might actually believe that," Renee countered with amazement.</p>
<p>"It's not just Jacob," Charlie continued with a hint of urgency. "I think there are two; three, four, or maybe it's everyone in the Quileute community who can do this."</p>
<p>Renee went back to shaking her head briefly in disbelief before speaking again.</p>
<p>"I don't believe this, Charlie. I don't believe any of it."</p>
<p>Renee suddenly stood up in defiance.</p>
<p>"I'm not going to sit around and do nothing based on some campfire ghost story."</p>
<p>"Fine," Charlie answered back as he rose to full stance. "You need proof. You want answers. Let's go get it before you do something we all might regret."</p>
<p>"You're serious?" Renee questioned Charlie with a surprised expression. "You want to go out to the Cullens or wherever and ask them to do something supernatural."</p>
<p>"Yeah," Charlie responded softly.</p>
<p>"This is crazy," Renee yelled out with exaggerated gestures. "You're the Chief of Police, Charlie. What happened to you?"</p>
<p>Unfazed by this rebuke Charlie stepped in closer and responded to this in a calm gentle voice.</p>
<p>"I hope you're right, Renee. I hope I'm just as loony as you think I am. But if you and Li'l Phil are in danger then that doesn't matter. We need to know from who, or what that danger is coming from."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Full Steam Ahead</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Charlie called ahead to the Cullen house half expecting no one to answer. To his surprise the phone picked up after the first ring. On the other end, Alice answered the phone with a brief message.</p>
<p>"Come on over Charlie, we're waiting, and tell Renee, yes she should bring Phillip."</p>
<p>Alice hung up the phone before Charlie could respond to her summons. The request that they come over had caught Charlie by surprise. It was his plan to request a meeting. The fact that Alice anticipated this added more fuel to his suspicion that there was something extraordinary about the Cullens. Renee heard nothing of this message, but she was happy to learn from Charlie that a meeting had been set to confront the Cullens. She had her concerns about bringing Li'l Phil along at such a late hour. Charlie shortly convinced her that the safest place for her son was with them. What Charlie elected not to tell her was that he had a concealed handgun holstered beneath his jacket.</p>
<p>Forty five minutes later Charlie and Renee with Phil Dwyer Junior in tow were parking in front of the Cullen residence. It was late in the evening, and the surrounding woods, ten yards in, were obscured by the black of the night. The house itself was lit up like a beacon in the wilderness. The light being generated from within glowed through nearly every window. Despite this illumination, there was no movement to be seen behind the windows. There was no sign, other than the lights in the house that anyone was waiting for their arrival.</p>
<p>As they began to climb the stairs to the house, a figure appeared at the window at the top of the stairs and then crossed from view behind the front door. The instant they reached the top landing Esme opened the door and displayed a broad smile.</p>
<p>"Won't you come in, Chief Swan, Renee?"</p>
<p>Renee cautiously walked in without saying a word. Charlie followed behind her with a more gracious demeanor.</p>
<p>"Thank you."</p>
<p>Esme gently closed the door behind them before politely ushering them into the living-room. Inside Charlie and Renee noted the presence of the entire Cullen family, including Renesme. In addition to the Cullens, they found Jacob there and four individuals that they had never seen before.</p>
<p>"You already know the family and Jacob of course," Esme announced with a smile. "The four individuals over there are Eleazar, Carmen, Kate and Tanya."</p>
<p>Eleazar, Carmen, Kate and Tanya acknowledged this introduction with slight bows of their heads as Esme spoke.</p>
<p>"They are long time family friends who have been visiting here for awhile."</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee had no response to this and Esme did not wait for one. She immediately directed them to the unoccupied sofa after she spoke. Everyone there was oriented toward the sofa in either a sitting or standing position somewhere about the room. The coffee table that normally would have been there had been removed from the room. The center of the room was vacant. Charlie and Renee shortly took seats upon the sofa. Li'l Phil rested quietly in the infant carrier beside Renee. Bella and Edward were seated in sofa chairs across from them, near the large front windows. Esme assumed her position standing next to Carlisle near the far left corner of the room relative to the sofa. Alice and Jasper were standing to the left of Bella and Edward, and Rosalie and Emmett were standing to their right. Eleazar and Carmen were seated in chairs to the right of the room's center relative to the sofa, and Kate and Tanya were standing to either side of them. Jacob and Renesme were seated on the floor near the far right corner of the room relative to the sofa. As soon as Renee and Charlie were comfortably situated, Edward broke the silence.</p>
<p>"You won't need that weapon, Chief Swan," Edward tossed out softly.</p>
<p>Snickers and brief laughs softly ejected out from behind the restraining smiles of Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, Tanya and Jacob.</p>
<p>"Daddy," Bella quickly admonished with whispered surprise.</p>
<p>Charlie gave Bella a glance and then returned his gaze to Edward with wonderment. Renee quickly looked to Charlie with surprise.</p>
<p>"Well, thanks for telling me that," Charlie responded coolly as he continued to exchange stares with Edward.</p>
<p>"You're in no danger here," Carlisle calmly spoke up. "Everyone here is trying to keep you safe, all of you."</p>
<p>"Safe from who," Renee quickly challenged Carlisle for an explanation.</p>
<p>"That's not important," Bella quickly spoke up defensively. "All you need to know is that you're safe, and that's what we want. Please Mom, trust me. Everything we've done, we've done to protect you."</p>
<p>"That's not going to fly anymore, Bells," Charlie challenged back. "A few months ago this was about you and what was going on here. Now it's about us. Phil is missing," Charlie stressed, "and I think you know why."</p>
<p>"Who are these people honey?" Renee pleaded with a hint of desperation. "What have they gotten you into?"</p>
<p>Bella shrank away from responding to this question and directed her eyes to the floor. Carlisle looked from Bella over to Alice. All others followed his stare, minus Bella and Edward. This sudden change of focus did not escape the notice of Charlie and Renee. They followed their lead and locked their attentions onto Alice.</p>
<p>"I don't think it will make any difference," Alice softly responded to Carlisle's unspoken question. <em>Should we tell them?</em></p>
<p>"What does that mean?" Carlisle queried for an explanation.</p>
<p>"In the short term there's nothing," Alice continued while shaking her head to emphasize that she did not know.</p>
<p>Bella continued to study the floor as the others pondered out loud.</p>
<p>"We could be putting them in danger if—you know who—finds out," Jasper spoke up softly.</p>
<p>"They're already in danger," Emmett corrected sternly.</p>
<p>"Yes, but that can pass," Jasper countered calmly.</p>
<p>"Not likely," Rosalie threw out dryly.</p>
<p>Bella began to shake her head as if she were in pain. Edward gently reached over and took her hand into his.</p>
<p>"What is it? What are you not telling us?" Renee pleaded once again to Bella.</p>
<p>"Mother, you don't want to know this," Bella responded forcefully as she looked up at them once again. "What's happening here is beyond anything you've imagined. Please trust me. You don't need to know."</p>
<p>"I'm not leaving here, Bella, until I know everything," Renee answered back in a firm tone of voice.</p>
<p>Bella straightened up in her chair.</p>
<p>"This is not my secret alone to give and everything we do we do as a family."</p>
<p>"Well somebody better tell me something," Renee responded in an angry tone of voice. "Because if you don't I'm going to get someone in here that you will talk to."</p>
<p>Renee quickly scanned the room for a response. The Cullens showed no sign that they were impressed with this threat. After a brief time, Carlisle stepped forward and prepared to speak. Suddenly Edward spoke out ahead of him.</p>
<p>"You have no idea what kind of danger you're putting yourselves in," Edward shouted out in a desperate attempt to salvage Bella's peace of mind.</p>
<p>"My husband is missing," Renee hollered back with near equal intensity. "I believe I have a right to know what happened to him."</p>
<p>"Your husband is dead," Edward responded back directly. "Because the killer was looking for you and found him instead."</p>
<p>Silence suddenly filled the room. This sudden admission stunned Renee. It took her several seconds to awaken from her astonishment and attend to Li'l Phil's crying response to the loud, angry voices. It took her less than a minute to rock him back into a sleep.</p>
<p>"So Phil's disappearance does have something to do with this family?" Charlie questioned accusingly.</p>
<p>"No dad, this is my fault," Bella quickly defended.</p>
<p>"No, the fault is mine," Edward contradicted just as fast.</p>
<p>"Oh, of that I'm sure," Charlie agreed with acrimony. "So what is this? You're some kind of family of mystics," Charlie queried snidely.</p>
<p>"It gets a lot more complicated than that," Jacob spoke out with a laugh.</p>
<p>"How complicated," Charlie sharply countered.</p>
<p>Once again silence filled the room. The attentions of the Cullens turned to Bella. Renee quickly noted this and looked at her daughter, as well.</p>
<p>"Oh please, you're not going to give me some supernatural crap, because, Bella, I'm not going for that.</p>
<p>"Mom, please don't make us do this," Bella softly pleaded.</p>
<p>"What are you going to tell us that's suppose be so terrible?" Renee challenged with incredulity.</p>
<p>Renee paused to scan the assembled faces in front of her. She noted only a deference that they were giving to each other. Irritated by this absence of a response, she quickly spoke up again.</p>
<p>"Huh? So one of you is suppose to be able to turn into a wolf? Show me the wolf?" Renee dared with extreme skepticism.</p>
<p>After a pause, all eyes turned to Jacob. Renee followed their lead. Jacob noted the attention with a smirk.</p>
<p>"Hey, why do I have to do everything," Jacob complained with feigned displeasure. "Why don't you guys do something?"</p>
<p>There was no response to this or deviation of the stares. It took Jacob five seconds to conclude that he was not getting out of this. He pushed himself up on his feet from his seat on the floor next to Renesme. He then took a step forward and away from her. An excited smile quickly spread across Renesme's face. Renee followed this progression with a look of disbelief.</p>
<p>"Take it outside dog," Rosalie snidely spoke up.</p>
<p>Jacob cocked his head toward Rosalie and gave her a sneer. Esme quickly spoke up in support of Rosalie's insultingly formulated request.</p>
<p>"Jacob, please."</p>
<p>"Okay," Jacob responded to Esme with a broad smile.</p>
<p>Jacob began walking towards the front door. Renesme quickly jumped up and followed. Renee followed his path with a look for several seconds before looking at Bella with astonishment.</p>
<p>"You better follow him," Rosalie spoke up coolly.</p>
<p>Everyone remained still with their eyes fixed on Renee. Jacob and Renesme were already outside when Renee finally stood up on her feet. Charlie quickly followed her lead and stood up as well. Renee hesitated to look down at Li'l Phil indecisively.</p>
<p>"Don't worry about Phillip," Alice quickly spoke up. "We'll keep him safe here."</p>
<p>Renee took a moment to glance at Bella. After noting she had no concern about this, Renee started walking towards the front door with an annoyed demeanor. Charlie followed a step behind. Bella and Edward stood up and followed behind him.</p>
<p>Renee stepped onto the porch outside the front door and found Jacob undressing at the foot of the stairs leading up to it. Renesme was standing on the porch not far off to her right beaming with excitement.</p>
<p>"What's he doing?" Renee quickly asked in a surprised tone.</p>
<p>"He's taking off his clothes," Renesme cheerfully responded.</p>
<p>Charlie followed Renee out onto the porch and took a position at her immediate right and more than a foot to Renesme's left. His attention quickly locked onto Jacob.</p>
<p>"Is he going to take all his clothes off," Renee queried Charlie with concern.</p>
<p>"Don't worry, I'm going to leave my shorts on for now," Jacob yelled up to her.</p>
<p>Renee turned to Charlie in astonishment and suddenly noted his look of anxious anticipation. In defiance of this Renee crossed her arms and followed his stare back down to Jacob with her own look of disdain. Bella quickly came out of the house, stopped alongside Renee's left and fixed her stare upon her. Edward followed Bella out the front door and took a position to the right of Renesme.</p>
<p>"You don't have to do this, Mom," Bella softly spoke into Renee's ear.</p>
<p>"Bella," Renee answered back with a mildly angry look, "I don't know what happened to you and Charlie, or this whole damn community for that matter, but what I do know is that you need to get away from here."</p>
<p>No sooner had Renee finished her sentence did Jacob phase into a massive brown wolf. So startled was Renee by his sudden, deep reverberating growl and massive appearance that she nearly stumbled back against the house. Bella's restraining arm saved her from this event. Renesme was nearly jumping with joy much to the note of Charlie.</p>
<p>"It's okay, Mom. It's only Jacob. He won't hurt you," Bella soothingly whispered into her ear.</p>
<p>Renee continued to push against Bella's restraint and away from the seemingly angry wolf. Her eyes remained fixed with terror on the massive animal at the foot of the stairs; her mind too shocked to register Bella's words whispering into her ear.</p>
<p>Jacob silenced his growl a couple of seconds after his transformation. The effect was an automatic reaction that occurred when this alternate identity of his broke free. After taking a few more seconds to note Renee's extreme terror and Bella's inability to calm her, Jacob sprinted away into the forest. Edward quickly descended the stairs, gathered up Jacob's clothes and followed him into the woods.</p>
<p>Renee finally drooped into Bella's embrace exhausted and terrified at the same time.</p>
<p>"He's gone, Mom. You're okay," Bella continued to assuage verbally as she guided her back into the house.</p>
<p>Bella steered Renee back to the sofa with Charlie following closely behind. Carlisle quickly came to Renee's aid as Bella sat her down.</p>
<p>"Breathe, deep breathes," Carlisle encouraged softly.</p>
<p>The rest of the Cullens and their friends looked on with either a mild sense of concern or one of disinterest. Renee's reaction surprised Renesme, and she stared at her with extreme interest. Charlie's initial concern for Renee shortly transitioned into intrigue about the assembled group of people there who took it all in stride.</p>
<p>"It's okay, Mom, relax," Bella pleaded as she sat down beside her; Renee tightly gripping her hand.</p>
<p>Renee gradually began to calm with the continued encouragement of Bella and Carlisle. One minute later Renee's panicked breathing had slowed to semi deep breathes. She continued to hold onto Bella even as her mind began to comprehend the magnitude of what she had seen and heard.</p>
<p>"What are you people?" Renee blurted out in a panicked tone of voice.</p>
<p>"Mom, you're okay," Bella continued to soothe.</p>
<p>"What are you people? A family of werewolves," Renee continued to query with fear as she scanned back and forth across the room.</p>
<p>"Hey, we're not dogs," Rosalie quickly countered. "He's the dog," she continued with a point toward Jacob who was just then entering the room newly dressed.</p>
<p>Jacob's reappearance startled Renee for a moment, but she soon relaxed.</p>
<p>"Sorry about that," Jacob announced as he took a seat once again on the floor in a distant corner from Renee. Edward followed Jacob in and took up a stance across the way from the sofa. Renesme quickly followed Jacob's lead and sat down next to him. Both Renee and Charlie took note of the fact that Renesme had no fear of this wolf-man.</p>
<p>"Technically Jacob is a shapeshifter," Carlisle calmly corrected.</p>
<p>"There's a difference," Renee queried with sarcasm.</p>
<p>"Well for one, we don't kill people," Jacob spoke up with a grin.</p>
<p>"What does?" Charlie quickly questioned the room.</p>
<p>There was a sudden silence in the room as all there who knew the answer to this question looked to another to provide it. Impatient for a response Charlie chose to direct a new inquiry at Jacob.</p>
<p>"There were reports given to the police by campers who claimed to see large wolves chasing something in the forest. What were you chasing, Jacob?" Charlie asked sternly.</p>
<p>"Something you were never going to catch," Jacob spoke up with a laugh.</p>
<p>Frustrated by this response Charlie quickly looked to Carlisle for a better one, to which he calmly responded.</p>
<p>"The Quileute tribe has been protecting this region from preternatural predators for hundreds of years. There has been an influx of predators of that kind, of late, and I'm afraid we are the cause."</p>
<p>"How so," Charlie quickly asked Carlisle directly.</p>
<p>"They're here after us," Carlisle responded delicately.</p>
<p>"Why are they after you?" Charlie followed with another question.</p>
<p>"They consider us adversaries."</p>
<p>"Then you are preternatural too?" Charlie pushed Carlisle for a response.</p>
<p>"Yes," Carlisle responded as Bella pulled away from Renee, stood up and backed away one step.</p>
<p>"Why aren't the shape-shifters trying to kill you?" Charlie rolled off another question. He was eager to keep the answers coming.</p>
<p>Bella moved back slowly to stand beside Edward. She felt a need to be there when the truth was said and out.</p>
<p>"We have a treaty with them," Carlisle responded directly.</p>
<p>"And what are the terms of the treaty?" Charlie questioned somberly as he noted Bella's unease.</p>
<p>"We don't harm anyone in their territory," Carlisle answered softly.</p>
<p>"And we keep their secret," Jacob interrupted with an upbeat intonation.</p>
<p>"Have you harmed anyone before?" Charlie queried out of curiosity.</p>
<p>Suddenly a new silence filled the room. Charlie and Renee noted everyone's reluctance to answer this question, after a brief time Renee's need to know overtook her patience.</p>
<p>"For god sake, what are you people?"</p>
<p>All eyes turned to Carlisle to answer this question, but his hesitation was more than Jacob could take.</p>
<p>"They're vampires," Jacob blurted out jubilantly.</p>
<p>Charlie did not know how to take this at first. He glanced about at the faces around him searching for evidence that Jacob's statement was nothing more than a boisterous attempt at humor. However, all he saw were stone faces and frozen stares. Renee, to the contrary, was instantly accepting of Jacob's proclamation and just as quickly repelled by it. She swiftly stood up on her feet and looked about into the faces of her assembled hosts. However, she was not reasoning this through like Charlie. For Renee, this was more weird and terrifying news, and one more reason for Bella to get away from the Cullens. For Charlie, this was the answer to a variable that was at that moment in his mind slowly proofing the equation. He turned his attention to Bella and watched as she inched still closer to Edward and took his hand into hers. His gaze focused in on Edward and transformed into a heated glare as the seconds ticked off. Renee suddenly noticed Charlie's fixed attention and began to ponder its meaning.</p>
<p>"Wait for it," Emmett humorlessly whispered to Rosalie to which she responded with a soft jab with her elbow.</p>
<p>"Uh-oh," Jacob enunciated with a smile.</p>
<p>"What is it? What's wrong?" Renee questioned the room apprehensively.</p>
<p>Charlie's face suddenly flared with comprehension, and rage, an instant after he reached behind him for his gun. Bella closed the distance between herself and Charlie at a speed that he and Renee could not visually perceive. Within that instant, she caught his arm behind his back before his hand could clear the weapon from its holster. Renee stepped back in terror; her hands reached up towards her face as she stifled a scream. Charlie could do nothing but look on in wide eye amazement.</p>
<p>"No dad, this was my doing. I love him."</p>
<p>A stunned Charlie stared down into the eyes of his daughter for several seconds before looking across at Edward in anger.</p>
<p>"You turned my daughter into a vampire," Charlie queried heatedly.</p>
<p>Jacob quickly interceded as Edward balked at the question.</p>
<p>"To be fair, Charlie," Jacob spoke in his usual upbeat tempo. "It was Bella's call. I tried to talk her out of it."</p>
<p>"Bella," Renee whispered out loud.</p>
<p>Charlie looked down again at Bella in amazement. His armed relaxed, his hand slipped off his gun and down to his side.</p>
<p>"It was the only way we could be together," Bella softly lamented as she moved back to Edward's side.</p>
<p>Charlie continued to study his daughter until Edward interrupted him a few seconds later.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry Chief Swan; this is not what I wanted," Edward somberly reported.</p>
<p>"Not what you wanted," Charlie parroted with rage. "If you didn't want this to happen then you should have left my daughter alone."</p>
<p>"He did," Jacob laughed out loud. "They left town, remember."</p>
<p>Charlie quickly looked at Jacob angrily. Renee followed his attention, but not his temperament.</p>
<p>"You need to accept this, Charlie," Jacob pressed on as if he were enjoying the event. "I did and believe me I tried real hard not to."</p>
<p>Jacob grinned for a moment before continuing his pitch.</p>
<p>"If it's any consolation to you, Bella would be dead right now if it wasn't for Edward."</p>
<p>"Yeah," Emmett spoke up with defiance.</p>
<p>An instant later Rosalie jabbed him in the ribs once again, but harder.</p>
<p>"Remember the accident in the school parking lot," Jacob continued with a smirk. "And that was just the first time," Jacob continued to exclaim. "There's a whole lot that's been going on here that you guys don't know anything about."</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee slowly scanned the room with a new comprehension. Their eyes came to rest on Bella and Edward standing side by side, hand in hand. Renee's feelings were a mixture of fear, sorrow and curiosity. She did not know what to think or how to act. In Charlie's mind, there was a gradual swell of acceptance. As his anger subsided a torrent of thoughts raced through his head.</p>
<p>"So, this is what was going on when you were supposedly ill?" Charlie questioned softly.</p>
<p>Bella hesitated to answer. Jacob did not.</p>
<p>"Oh, she was ill alright thanks to hubby there," Jacob blurted out with a smile. "But then he turned her into a vampire and now she's all well."</p>
<p>Bella gave Jacob an irritated look out the corner of her eyes. "Thank you, Jacob."</p>
<p>"Hey, just trying to help," Jacob retorted with a smile.</p>
<p>"What does that mean?" Renee queried Jacob with a mixture of fear and concern.</p>
<p>"She was dying. They either had to turn her into a vampire or let her die," Jacob responded frankly.</p>
<p>"What's he saying?" Renee fumbled out the words at Bella.</p>
<p>"I was pregnant, Mom," Bella softly replied.</p>
<p>Renee and Charlie were stunned to hear this, but they had no words to express it. Carlisle shortly spoke up to answer the question expressed across their faces.</p>
<p>"The fetus was a half human, half vampire hybrid, and it was killing her. Changing her was the only way to save her life."</p>
<p>"Couldn't you have aborted the pregnancy?" Charlie queried Carlisle angrily. "Or did you just use this as an excuse to turn my daughter into what you are."</p>
<p>"I wouldn't let them, Dad." Bella quickly countered. "I wasn't going to abort Edward's baby."</p>
<p>Charlie was stunned into silence by this admission. Shortly Renee awakened from hers.</p>
<p>"What baby?"</p>
<p>All eyes turned to Renesme who was quick to respond to the attention.</p>
<p>"Hi Grandma, hi Granddad," Renesme spoke with a wave.</p>
<p>Renee and Charlie were shocked to hear the little girl they thought to be Edward's niece refer to them as her grandparents.</p>
<p>Renesme quickly jumped up in response to Bella's extended hand and raced over to take it into hers. Bella guided her with a tug to stand just in front and between herself and Edward.</p>
<p>"The pregnancy progressed very rapidly," Carlisle reported as delicately as he could. "Nessie is still growing at an accelerated speed, but we now know that the rate of growth is slowing and will stop when she reaches maturity."</p>
<p>Carlisle's explanation did nothing to counter Renee's or Charlie's surprise.</p>
<p>"Nessie is not a vampire." Bella reported softly. "But she is special in her own way."</p>
<p>After taking a moment to digest this information, Charlie reawakened to take the point in this discovery process.</p>
<p>"So why couldn't you tell us this before?"</p>
<p>Eleazar promptly jumped in to answer Charlie's query.</p>
<p>"Vampires are forbidden from confiding in humans about our existence."</p>
<p>"By you know who?" Charlie questioned coyly.</p>
<p>"Precisely," Eleazar countered.</p>
<p>"So, what's changed?" Charlie questioned the room.</p>
<p>Jacob beat all comers to the answer with an excited response. "What's happened is the Volturi no longer makes the rules here."</p>
<p>"The Volturi?" Charlie directed this as a question at Carlisle. “That’s the you know who?”</p>
<p>"The Volturi are a very old and powerful coven of vampires," Carlisle responded calmly.</p>
<p>"So, if they're not calling the shots here, then who does?" Charlie queried again.</p>
<p>"You're looking at them," Jacob gleefully exclaimed, "with a little help from your neighborhood wolf-pack. The Volturi no longer gives orders here in Forks."</p>
<p>"Is that true?" Charlie questioned the room.</p>
<p>"For the time being, yes," Eleazar calmly replied. "But that could change."</p>
<p>"The Volturi are making plans to rectify this," Charlie extrapolated from the somber faces in front of him.</p>
<p>After a short pause, Carlisle answered. "Yes."</p>
<p>"How did killing Phil help them?" Charlie questioned Carlisle pointedly.</p>
<p>"We're not sure the Volturi had anything to do with that." Eleazar calmly spoke up. "</p>
<p>"Then who did?" Renee jumped in with this query.</p>
<p>"We don't know," Carlisle reported somberly. "It could be the Volturi for reasons we have yet to understand, or it could be someone else that we don't know about."</p>
<p>"How many enemies do you have?" Charlie challenged.</p>
<p>"Up until Bella we didn't have any," Rosalie asserted with defiance.</p>
<p>"Rosalie," Esme quickly admonished.</p>
<p>"We're being accused of things that aren't our fault," Rosalie spoke over Esme's rebuke.</p>
<p>"That's enough," Carlisle reproached.</p>
<p>"No," Bella spoke up in Rosalie's defense. "This all began with me."</p>
<p>"No, it didn't," Edward contradicted somberly. "This has all been my doing. All of this is my fault."</p>
<p>"There's no one to blame here," Carlisle asserted to Edward for all to hear. "No one planned for this. No one expected this to happen. "</p>
<p>"That doesn't change anything. None of this would have happened if I had resisted my feelings for Bella," Edward spewed out with anguish.</p>
<p>"And any one of a hundred other problems could have happened in its place. We can't control the future. We just have to take it as it comes along" Carlisle insisted forcefully as Bella and Renesme closed in to comfort Edward. Rosalie withdrew from her angry posture as the Cullens began to close ranks around Edward.</p>
<p>"Hey man you got to stop taking it all onto yourself," Emmett reassured as he reached out and patted Edward on the shoulder.</p>
<p>"Yeah bro, we've got your back," Jasper softly spoke out.</p>
<p>"You and Bella belong together," Alice asserted.</p>
<p>"Yeah," Rosalie softly agreed.</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee took a moment to study this exchange, and the interaction between the participants. For the first time that night, they felt as if they were in the presence of a family. After a brief time, a newly subdued Charlie pondered a new question.</p>
<p>"Is there anyone you know who may have something to gain by framing the Volturi?"</p>
<p>Suddenly all within the room went still. Carlisle and Eleazar began to reflect inward upon their own thoughts. Edward turned to face them, looking from one to the other and back again as he read their minds. All others within the room shortly divided their attentions between the two as they noted the depth of their contemplation. After a short deliberation, Carlisle and Eleazar enunciated their conclusions in unison.</p>
<p>"The Romanians..."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Confessionals</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Renee and Charlie listened to the Cullens and their guests chronicle the last two years until early the next morning. By the time they returned home, they had a thorough understanding of the situation with regards to themselves, the Cullens and the Olympic Peninsula in general. They left with a newfound respect for the Cullens despite themselves. Bella's affection for this family of vampires and theirs for her, and for each other, softened their opinion of them.</p>
<p>Renee had more of a problem with this revelation than Charlie. The whole supernatural aspect of all of this made her feel uneasy about Forks and the surrounding wilderness. Despite this apprehension, she needed no encouragement to remain where she was. She understood that the Cullens, and the Quileute shapeshifters, were providing the best protection she could get, and she had no intention of exposing Bella's secret to the world.</p>
<p>Charlie had a far easier time with this, or so it appeared to Renee. His fears and worries for his daughter were mostly eased by the knowledge that Bella loved the Cullens and that they loved her. His opinion of the Cullens was also improved by the discovery that Bella was not a passive or unwitting victim of this family of vampires. He accepted the fact that for the better or the worse Bella had made her decision, and there was nothing left for him to do but live with it, even if he did not like it. His opinion of Edward reluctantly softened a little, as well, despite the fact that he still blamed him for all that happened to Bella.</p>
<p>Quite to the opposite of his feelings about Bella’s life choices, Charlie's concerns about Forks in general had increased since his late-night meeting with the Cullens. His job as Chief of Police had taken on a new severity for him. The knowledge that the community he was sworn to protect might soon be invaded by numerous supernatural predators increased his worry significantly. The absence of any new attacks, plus what he recently learned about the capabilities of these supernatural predators, reinforced in his mind the idea that the best thing he could do was trust in the Cullens and Quileute shape-shifters to keep the community safe, even if he did have his trepidations about their ability to do this.</p>
<p>Based upon what he heard it seemed to Charlie that the Volturi was more than a match for the Cullens and the Quileute shapeshifters combined. He spent the seven days that followed that meeting querying the Cullens and Jacob for news about the surrounding wilderness in anticipation of the return of the Volturi. The Cullens entertained his repeated inquiries pleasantly. Jacob became less and less agreeable as the number of inquiries grew.</p>
<p>"There's nothing you can do Charlie but wait. We'll let you know when there's something to tell you."</p>
<p>Charlie's primary concern was for hikers and campers in the area. Internally for him there was a conflict between his desire to conceal what he knew and the obligation he felt to warn everyone to stay out of the forest. This contention notwithstanding, Charlie knew he would not betray Bella's secret so long as all were safe and secure in and about Forks. However, he had no idea how he would react if those he was charged to protect became collateral damage of this supernatural power struggle, and that was his greatest fear.</p>
<p>Life for the Cullens immediately became a whole lot easier after confiding with Renee and Charlie. The time and energy they were using concealing their true selves was suddenly available for other purposes. Ducking Charlie's and Renee's visits and limiting their visits with them was no longer necessary. This new open association also made it easier for the Cullens to keep them safe. Bella with Renesme in tow, along with Esme, Edward and Carlisle, began visiting Renee on a daily basis. They were able to provide for her comfort and needs personally, and Bella could visit with her little brother.</p>
<p>When the Cullens were not visiting at the Swan residence they were at home pursuing their usual amusements and activities. Foremost among these was the continuation of Bella's combat training. Absent from Bella's schooling this time around was Edward. He was spending all of his spare time perfecting his ability to project his thoughts. No longer encumbered by the external distractions of Bella's parents and trespassing vampires, Edward began work on developing this talent with a vengeance. Finding a volunteer for his exercises had become less of a problem. When no one chose to make his or her self available for Edward's experimentation he simply targeted individuals at random. Having their concentration disrupted by Edward's projected consciousness quickly became an annoyance for the Cullen family and their guests, minus Bella and Renesme. Everyone understood Edward's need to develop this ability and subsequently bit their tongue rather than complain, but they also began to make themselves scarce whenever he came around.</p>
<p>It did not take long for Edward to become confident of his ability to push his mind into another person's head. He had honed this ability until it took only a second or two of concentration to implant any thought he could think of into someone else's mind. He did not put a great deal of value in this ability, but Edward did believe that it could provide him with a chance to affect the outcome of a physical confrontation. Edward was consumed by the idea of getting his hands on Jane and Alec. He was confident that the pint size Jane was no match for him, hand to hand, and he suspected the same was true for her average height brother. He desperately wanted to disable these two psychic vampires so that his family could at least have a fighting chance, and he was determined to do this even at the price of his own life.</p>
<p>Edward's obsession with this newly discovered talent did not escape the notice or concern of Carlisle. Their history together was too long for Carlisle not to know something was gravely wrong with his son. He first noted Edward's growing sullen demeanor shortly after their encounter with the Volturi, but what was happening of late was altogether new. Edward was feverishly engrossed in his training regimen at the expense of all else and all others in his life. To the opposite of Carlisle's hope that this preoccupation would pass, Edward became all the more intent upon what he was doing over time. With Esme's support, Carlisle concluded that he had to do something to save Edward from himself.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>"You're a vampire with a newborn child, do you have any idea how much of a miracle she is?" Carlisle questioned Edward softly.</p>
<p>Edward was already all too aware of the motive behind this inquiry. He could hear it in Carlisle's thoughts as he approached.</p>
<p>"I know how special Renesme is," Edward responded gruffly.</p>
<p>"She is literally growing by the minute right before our eyes and you're missing it," Carlisle emphasized strongly.</p>
<p>"All that I do, I do for her," Edward spoke back with a temper. "If the Volturi have their way her life will end before it ever gets started."</p>
<p>"You don't know that Edward," Carlisle calmly answered.</p>
<p>"I know what I heard in Aro's thoughts," Edward rifled back with anguish. "This family is in danger! This coven is in danger, and no amount of wishing, no amount of positive thinking is going to change that."</p>
<p>"Then we will deal with that when it comes," Carlisle spoke back softly after a pause.</p>
<p>Edward shook his head in distress as if he were angry with himself for some unspoken deed.</p>
<p>"You have a life, here and now, and it's hurting me and your mother that you're missing it," Carlisle placidly continued.</p>
<p>"I can't let this go, Carlisle," Edward insisted vehemently. "This is my doing and all our lives are at stake because of it."</p>
<p>"No Edward, it’s not your doing," Carlisle insisted softly as he turned away; his face rumpled by contemplation.</p>
<p>Edward instantly took note of the thoughts foaming up in Carlisle's mind and quickly fixed his attention anew on his father.</p>
<p>"Why would Aro want you dead?" Edward asked after plucking this thought out from Carlisle's head.</p>
<p>Carlisle turned back to note Edward studying him intensely. He pondered if he should continue withholding the information that was now on the tip of his tongue. He knew that if Aro ever found out that he had breathed these words his fate, and the fate of the person he had spoke it to, would be a foregone conclusion.</p>
<p>"Why would this be about you?" Edward inquired again as he tried to penetrate the veil that Carlisle was hiding his thoughts behind.</p>
<p>Edward could read from Carlisle's mind that he was debating with himself if he should or should not speak what he knew. This was not the first time Edward had encountered this barrier to some guarded secret within Carlisle's mind, but this was the first time that it was so close to being lifted. Edward never thought to inquire about it before. Out of respect, he never queried friends and family about their hidden thoughts. This, however, was something that Edward knew Carlisle felt he should know and feared for him for knowing it.</p>
<p>Carlisle shied away from Edward's new inquiry as he continued to wrestle with his thoughts. If this were a secret belonging to anyone else but Aro he would not think twice about telling it to Edward. He knew his son guarded all information secret or not. Getting him to pass along an insignificant report required nothing less than an interrogation by it's would be receiver, but Aro required no such exertion. His storehouse of knowledge on the vampire community was siphoned out of their minds by this ability of his to absorb the thoughts and memories of nearly everyone he touched. Carlisle knew that Aro would likely learn of this telling at some time in the future through a touch from his hand. He also feared that the discovery of him doing so would mean a death sentence for whomever he told.</p>
<p>"We're already under a death sentence," Edward pressured for more.</p>
<p>"You say that like you're so sure," Carlisle responded back directly.</p>
<p>"Aro sees us as a threat," Edward insisted.</p>
<p>"Aro sees everyone as a threat," Carlisle insisted back at him. "That does not mean he will act upon this fear."</p>
<p>"He already has," Edward argued. "He fears us like no other. This I do know Carlisle."</p>
<p>Carlisle took a moment to ponder Edward's last remark. Shortly Edward pressed him once again.</p>
<p>"Tell me," Edward nearly pleaded. "What is this secret that you're protecting me from?"</p>
<p>"If I tell you this, Edward, there will be no retreat from it. Aro will kill you just for knowing it."</p>
<p>"I understand."</p>
<p>"You cannot tell anyone else. This is for you to know alone."</p>
<p>"I know."</p>
<p>Carlisle turned away and briefly paced as he gathered his thoughts. Edward waited quietly as he monitored his thinking.</p>
<p>"Aro likes to use vampires," Carlisle spoke softly as he began his story. "He values us for our varied gifts, and he fears us for them, as well. During my time with the Volturi in the late sixteen-hundreds the vampire community was in a tumultuous state. Wars between covens over territory were common place occurrences. Still the Volturi Coven was the most powerful coven of vampires anywhere, but there was no guarantee this would last. After the Volturi all but decimated the Romanian Coven more than a thousand-years earlier, there were no other covens about powerful enough to dare challenge them for the next eight centuries. By the late sixteen-hundreds when I first encountered the Volturi there were dozens of powerful covens that dotted the landscape of Europe. The days of tiptoeing around the Volturi seemed to be coming to an end."</p>
<p>Carlisle continued to wander about briefly, off and on, as he gathered his thoughts to tell this story.</p>
<p>"The Volturi was different at that time. Not quite as despotic as they appear to be now. They were far more careful about not creating enemies. I took a fancy to them because of their patronage of the Arts and Sciences, and I suspect that's what attracted me to Aro. He and I were friends for a time I suppose. We shared the same interests. He was amused by my desire to continue tending to the medical needs of mortals. We had many talks about this and over the course of our discussions he managed to convince me to add the mechanics of vampirism to my studies. It was a hopeless venture. After three years of study, my understanding of what I am did not increase one bit. However, I did make one discovery that I soon learned intrigued Aro far more than it did me."</p>
<p>"Blood," Edward spoke up in response to the thought that suddenly appeared in Carlisle's mind.</p>
<p>"I wanted to know why vampires were so repelled by the blood of another vampire," Carlisle continued without hesitation.</p>
<p>"Our blood is cold and dead," Edward offered without a second thought.</p>
<p>"Cold, yes," Carlisle calmly agreed. "But not dead, because we're not dead. I wanted to know what would happen if a vampire drank the blood of another vampire. Aro provided me with test subjects to find out. The results at first were negligible. I was just about to terminate the experiment when I saw it."</p>
<p>"Blood poisoning," Edward picked the thought out of Carlisle's mind once again.</p>
<p>"Yes," Carlisle agreed solemnly. "Or so I coined it at the time. Venom poisoning is a more accurate description. The venom that we use to turn mortals exists in the blood that sustains us in far less condensed concentrations."</p>
<p>"It altered them," Edward read Carlisle's thought out loud.</p>
<p>"I began to notice the change in a few of the test subjects. These vampires became more compliant." Carlisle paused to find the right word, "obedient, even servile to the donor whose blood they drank. It was as if they had somehow become mesmerized by a charisma they perceived the blood donor to have. I at first saw it as simply an amusing efficacy. The infatuation was temporary. The effect simply dissipated over the next two to three months and then they were back to normal. My first thought was to ignore it and move on to new studies, but Aro pushed me to sort out why some of my test subjects were affected by this venom poisoning and others were not."</p>
<p>"And you did," Edward spoke up to encourage Carlisle to continue.</p>
<p>"Yes, I did," Carlisle continued. "It took me another year of study to sort it all out, and Aro was fascinated by my findings."</p>
<p>"And what were the findings, Father?" Edward softly queried.</p>
<p>Carlisle turned and looked at Edward with the knowledge that he was about to clear the last hurdle towards betraying a secret that had kept for more than three-hundred years, but he knew that there was no turning back. He had already said too much.</p>
<p>"I discovered that venom poisoning was one-hundred percent effective on all vampires," Carlisle responded, after a time, with finality.</p>
<p>"I thought you said some of your test subjects were not affected," Edward queried in confusion.</p>
<p>"All vampires have immunity to the venom of the vampire who made them vampires," Carlisle emphasized for effect.</p>
<p>Edward pondered this for a moment before speaking.</p>
<p>"So, the vampires who were not affected were drinking the blood of the vampire who turned them."</p>
<p>"That was my initial assumption, but that wasn't true in all cases." Carlisle quickly responded. "It took me seven test batches and thirty-nine test subjects to figure it all out," Carlisle emphasized the last part with displeasure. "The immunity is passed on from one generation to the next like a family tree," Carlisle reported with frustration. "Parent vampires are incapable of mesmerizing their offspring or their second-generation offspring. Third-generation descendants showed minimal signs of poisoning. I doubt the immunity extends beyond that."</p>
<p>"So, a vampire's venom has no, or little, affect upon his progeny three generations down?" Edward mused out loud.</p>
<p>"The immunity can also be passed on when a vampire who is under the effect of venom poisoning turns a mortal into a vampire. The newborn vampire is not only immune to the venom of the vampire that made him or her, but they also have immunity to the venom of the vampire that their maker is infected with at that time."</p>
<p>Edward took a moment to ponder this. A thought gradually came to him and shortly grew into a revelation.</p>
<p>"That's why Aro let Bella go in Volterra," Edward spoke up softly as he discerned the truth for the first time. "He couldn't turn her himself because he would lose any chance of controlling her later on."</p>
<p>"Precisely," Carlisle answered back directly, "and that should give you some idea about the Volturi Coven."</p>
<p>Carlisle paused to allow the latter part of his statement take effect.</p>
<p>"Not only could Aro, Marcus and Caius not turn her, but they could not allow anyone there to turn her. The Volturi Coven has not turned a mortal into a vampire for more than three-hundred years."</p>
<p>"The entire coven is brainwashed by them," Edward spoke up with a surprised tone in his voice. "I often wondered why Jane and Alec put up with them for so long."</p>
<p>"Once they had their secret weapon," Carlisle continued without regard for Edward's remark. "They swore me to secrecy under penalty of death."</p>
<p>"But how could they keep this a secret with so many test subjects," Edward queried suspiciously. "They killed them," Edward quickly picked the thought out of Carlisle's head before he could answer.</p>
<p>"Aro, Marcus and Caius created newborn vampires for me to experiment with," Carlisle somberly reported, "and after I had produced the answer, they destroyed them, all of them, to protect the secret."</p>
<p>Edward studied Carlisle's face as he listened to his thoughts. Suddenly he knew that these deaths, more than anything else that happened, was what drove Carlisle to leave the Volturi.</p>
<p>"Soon after this discovery of mine," Carlisle emphasized with a mixture of anger and sadness, "the Volturi became too powerful to be challenged by any single coven. They accomplished this through the use of a ceremony they referred to as The Blood Ritual. New and veteran members of the coven are required once every full moon to drink from a cup that contains the blood of Aro, Marcus and Caius mixed together. Once they've taken their first drink the second drink and third and forth are progressively easier to induce. The more intoxicated they are by the venom the more compliant they are to their masters."</p>
<p>Edward took a moment to consider everything he was told and shortly into this, a question came to mind. Carlisle beat him to the question.</p>
<p>"Why did they let me leave?"</p>
<p>"Yes," Edward validated the question.</p>
<p>"I think Aro thought that I would return eventually. He knew my vow never to reveal this secret was sincere. He got that with just a touch of his hand, and I think he genuinely didn't want to kill me. They brought it to a vote, and I was permitted to leave by a two to one majority.</p>
<p>"Caius," Edward spoke out the name he suspected to have cast the dissenting vote.</p>
<p>"I suspect so," Carlisle agreed. "Caius never liked me. He found my penchant for wanting to heal mortals rather than feed on them abhorrent. I was a member of the Volturi only by the favor of Aro and the apathy of Marcus, and I have no doubt that I left under the same protection."</p>
<p>"And you think after all this time they've changed their minds about you?" Edward questioned in a ponderous voice.</p>
<p>"The instant I defied Aro," Carlisle shortly answered back, "I became a liability. Aro rarely places his affection ahead of his judgment. You're just an excuse. I'm the problem."</p>
<p>"This is still my doing Carlisle," Edward somberly responded. "It doesn't matter what Aro's motivation is now. I set this into motion. You cannot take the blame for that."</p>
<p>"I can and I do. This family is wholly my creation. I could have kept you away from Bella. I could have taken this family away and told you never to look back, but I didn't. I saw how important she was to you, and I chose to allow you to explore those feelings. I forbid you from taking the blame for the road that we have traveled," Carlisle instructed sternly.</p>
<p>Edward was suddenly lost for words. His head slumped forward, and his eyelids squeezed shut in an attempt to hold back phantom human tears. Carlisle instantly softened his stance at the sight of this and took his son into his embrace.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Bad News from Wonderland</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Since the Cullen's disclosure about their true selves to Charlie and Renee, life had changed, at least a little, for everyone except Alice. She spent her days pondering about the people of interest to her and to the family, not least among of these was the Volturi.</p>
<p>Alice was detecting remarkably little about the thinking within the Volturi Coven. She was still getting faint and indiscernible visions about them more than a dozen times a day. The fact that she could not get a clear picture of any future activity told her that these thoughts were idle. However, the number of these idle thoughts did tell her that the members of the Volturi were contemplating her family far more than normal. Alice knew from experience that, over the course of a week, she could expect no more than a half a dozen idle thoughts about them from a close friend of the family. The Volturi was more than tripling this number on a daily basis. Alice's daily reports about the Volturi continued to be the same.</p>
<p>"They're seriously thinking about us, but they're not acting upon these thoughts.</p>
<p>Carlisle took these reports as positive signs and encouraged the rest of the family to do so, as well. It was Carlisle's suspicion that if the Volturi intended to do harm to them they would have made plans to do so straightaway. Given that they had not done this Carlisle trusted, more than believed, that their interest in them would likely wane and disappear over time. Edward was not as easily convinced, nor was Rosalie or Jasper.</p>
<p>"You forget that they have already made one attempt on Bella and Edward's life," Jasper softly reminded.</p>
<p>"That was an act of opportunity," Carlisle countered.</p>
<p>"But you can't be sure they won't try again," Rosalie insisted with a raised voice. "What happens when we leave Forks, or are we suppose to stay here forever so that these shape-shifters can run interference for us?"</p>
<p>"Alice can't spend the rest of her life deliberating about the Volturi," Jasper carefully interjected. "Even vampires have their limits."</p>
<p>"This will pass," Carlisle softly insisted. "The vampires wandering about outside of the peninsula will eventually get bored and go away, and the Volturi will forget about us and move on to new things."</p>
<p>There was no response to this from the rest of the family despite their suspicions to the opposite. Alice could neither confirm nor deny anything Carlisle said about the Volturi. Her knowledge of plans the Volturi was contemplating about them was limited to something put into motion. With regards to the vampires wandering about just beyond the perimeter of the Olympic Peninsula, the shape-shifters offered some support there. Jacob reported that the number of vagrant vampires about and the frequency of their excursions onto the peninsula were steadily declining.</p>
<p>Carlisle and Esme were buoyed by this news more so than anyone else. Everyone had expected a decline in these numbers over time, but no one was willing to say with any certainty that the number would eventually fall to zero. Nor could anyone say how many of these stray vampires were minions of the Volturi or how many of them had chosen to leave. The one thing that had fallen to zero was the types of excursions these vampires were making. Sam and Jacob reported that the remaining nomadic vampires seemed to have no interest in feeding on humans on the peninsula. Their reports of late were always about one or two of these transient vampires intruding upon the domain that the Cullens marked off as forbidden to them. These intrusions were always brief, and the vampire in question always raced back off the peninsula the instant they were discovered by a shapeshifter, if not before.</p>
<p>In response to Bella's near daily inquiries about the safety of Renee, Charlie and Li'l Phil, Alice was always happy to report that to her knowledge no one was even thinking of them. No one interpreted this to mean that they were safe. What everyone did believe is that they were safe while they remained in Forks.</p>
<p>All of Alice's visions of the family in the future had been changing for the better until she began musing about the Romanians. She noted almost immediately that they, the Cullens, were much in the thoughts of the Romanians, but not quite as much so as they were in the thoughts of the Volturi. No one in the family knew how to interpret this. Alice's visions regarding them were just as vague and indecipherable as those she was having about the Volturi. Why they were so intrigued with them was still more conjecture than fact.</p>
<p>Alice began meditating about the Romanians the moment Carlisle and Eleazar concluded that they had a motive for wanting to frame the Volturi in the minds of the Cullens. Carlisle and Eleazar explained that the Romanians were holding a fifteen-hundred year old grudge against the Volturi, and that, a war between the two of them might fit well within their aspirations for revenge.</p>
<p>"The Romanians have lived under the boot of the Volturi for more than a thousand years," Eleazar explained to all assembled. "Provoking you into battle with them could change that."</p>
<p>"The Romanians can't believe that we can defeat the Volturi in a fight," Jasper challenged the logic of Eleazar's supposition.</p>
<p>"For the Romanians to benefit you don't have to win," Eleazar insisted. "All you have to do is weaken them. No coven has been strong enough to stand before the Volturi for over a thousand years let alone convince them to back down."</p>
<p>"I still think it's unlikely," Jasper pondered back. "What would make them think that we would go to war with the Volturi to avenge the death of Bella's mother? It would be suicide for us."</p>
<p>"They had nothing to lose by trying," Carlisle put in dryly.</p>
<p>"So that's it. You're convinced that they did this?" Jasper questioned again in a curious tone of voice.</p>
<p>"No, we're not convinced," Carlisle responded calmly.</p>
<p>"But they do make an excellent suspect," Eleazar added to Carlisle's response.</p>
<p>Over the next three days, from the date that Carlisle and Eleazar suggested the Romanians might be the culprits behind Phil's disappearance; Alice had nothing to report about them other than the many wisps of visions that suggested the family was being thought about regularly. This suddenly changed for the worse on the morning of the fourth day.</p>
<p>"It was the Romanian Coven."</p>
<p>Alice reported her discovery to her assembled family and guests in a definitive tone of voice.</p>
<p>"The Romanians are responsible for Phil's disappearance?" Bella questioned back in a hurry.</p>
<p>"Yes," Alice confirmed somberly. "They were trying to provoke us into attacking the Volturi."</p>
<p>"I'm sure the Romanians are hoping that a war between us and the Volturi will alter the balance of power and allow for their return as the most powerful coven in Europe, if not the world," Carlisle mused.</p>
<p>"Were the Romanians ever that powerful," Jasper pondered out loud.</p>
<p>"Once upon a time Aro, Marcus and Caius bowed to them," Carlisle instructed.    </p>
<p>"And now the Romanians are willing to destroy us to get their revenge," Bella spat out with anger. "I thought they were our friends."</p>
<p>"The Romanians don't have friends, only allies, when it suits their purposes," Eleazar softly lectured to Bella.</p>
<p>"In their time, the Romanians were far more ruthless than the Volturi ever were," Carlisle put in, mildly. "After defeating the Romanians the Volturi was hailed as saviors by the European community of vampires."</p>
<p>"What are they doing now," Rosalie pressed Alice for up to date news.</p>
<p>"They're going to start spreading a rumor about us," Alice responded without hesitation. "They're going to tell everyone that we're plotting to supplant the Volturi as the dominant Coven."</p>
<p>"Why?" Bella queried with confusion.</p>
<p>"They're trying to provoke the Volturi into taking action against us," Alice reported in an astonished voice. "The Romanians want this war."</p>
<p>"Will it work," Esme questioned Alice in a worried tone of voice.</p>
<p>"I don't know," Alice responded in the same tenor.</p>
<p>"Why would the Volturi openly attack us over an unsubstantiated rumor?" Rosalie queried the room. "They have to know that something like that is going to piss off a lot of vampires."</p>
<p>"Stefan believes our alliance with the shapeshifters has turned many of the covens against us," Alice explained to the group.</p>
<p>"A few maybe," Rosalie quickly corrected, "but not the majority.</p>
<p>"It won't matter how many covens turn against us," Jasper quickly lectured to the group. "If the Romanians convince them that their lie is the truth, then all will be expecting a fight, and no one will blame the Volturi for it."</p>
<p>"But how can anyone believe this?" Esme questioned no one in particular.</p>
<p>"We denied outside vampires entry into our territory," Jasper solemnly explained. "That included the Volturi. It's not a large leap from there to believing that we're challenging their authority."</p>
<p>"Jasper is right," Eleazar blandly confirmed. "All of the covens will see it as an open challenge."</p>
<p>"So, what do we do?" Emmett questioned sternly.</p>
<p>"We deny it," Esme spoke up with a hint of desperation in her words.  "They're just lies. No one is going to believe them over us."</p>
<p>Suddenly there was silence among the group as Esme looked into their eyes, one after the other, for the affirmation she wished for. No one there was inclined to agree with this position. Carlisle looked towards the ground; his thoughts lost in contemplation. After a short time of silence between them, Rosalie mustered the will to say what all were thinking.</p>
<p>"We can't just sit back and do nothing while Stefan and Vladimir lie about us."</p>
<p>Esme swiveled her head about her in the hope of finding someone who disagreed with this assessment. Still there was silence among the group. Shortly Rosalie reluctantly spoke again.</p>
<p>"We have to stop the Romanians."</p>
<p>"You mean kill," Esme retorted with a tinge of anger.</p>
<p>"It's them or us," Rosalie shouted back.</p>
<p>"And what if it's one of us?" Esme challenged. "We are not a coven of murderers. This is my family."</p>
<p>Esme paused to gauge the level of comprehension for what she just said.</p>
<p>"You are my family," Esme reiterated with greater force.</p>
<p>Rosalie shrank away from Esme. She was reluctant to inflict anymore pain upon her. Esme was obviously distraught over the idea that one or more of them might be killed in a confrontation with the Romanians. Silence slipped over the group for a short time as all eyes turned towards the perceived final authority. Carlisle was slow to look up and acknowledge their stares. After a brief moment of deliberation, he raised his head up and stared not at them, but instead into the space between them.</p>
<p>"I will go and speak with Stefan and Vladimir," Carlisle softly announced.</p>
<p>Almost immediately after Carlisle’s declaration there was a chorus of, "noes" from everyone there.</p>
<p>"If one of us goes then we all go," Rosalie asserted herself defiantly before looking to Emmett for his approval of this position.</p>
<p>Emmett gave her a hint of a smile and a slight nod in the affirmative.</p>
<p>For the first time, since this conversation began, Carlisle looked into the faces of his family one by one before speaking again. There was no dissension in this. Even Esme concurred with Rosalie's assertion with an adamant shake of her head in the affirmative.</p>
<p>"Okay then, we will face them together."</p>
<p>"We will come with you," Carmen spoke up on behalf of the Denali Coven.</p>
<p>"No," Carlisle responded shortly. "This is our affair. The Olympic Coven will take care of it alone."</p>
<p>"There is no division here," Carmen challenged back. "We will stand with you wherever this conflict takes you."</p>
<p>"We appreciate your friendship," Carlisle spoke sincerely to Carmen, Kate, Tanya and Eleazar. "But we can handle this, and if there is a backlash, you will be of better service to us if you are not tainted by it."</p>
<p>Eleazar communicated his concession with a slight bow of his head. The Denali Coven set off for their home in Alaska shortly after dusk.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Plans and Contingencies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Early that night Bella and Edward were on their way over to Charlie's house to advise him and Renee of their plans. The entire Cullen family knew that the task they were about to embark on entailed some risk to them, as well. This new concern for Bella's parents intensified Edward's depression. He could not imagine looking into Bella's eyes again without an extreme feeling of guilt and pain if something were to happen to her parents because of him.</p>
<p>Bella paid no note to Edward's silence as he drove their vehicle towards Charlie's home. Her own thoughts were wrestling with her fears for Renee, Charlie, Li'l Phil and Renesme. When the Cullens first discussed approaching the Romanian Coven she did not comprehend the ramifications of this. The full extent of the risks and dangers only became clear to her when the family advised Jacob of their plans later that afternoon.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>"You guys can't be serious?" Jacob questioned in an incredulous tone. "As long as we stay together nothing can hurt us."</p>
<p>"Listen up dog breath," Rosalie angrily challenged back. "I know you pea brains think you're the top dogs, but you're wrong. If the Volturi come for us, you hounds aren't going to be anything but a minor distraction."</p>
<p>"You're crazy," Jacob argued back. "Between the two of us they don't have a chance. With you guys keeping them busy, we can just come up behind them, and rip their heads off. It's perfect."</p>
<p>"Yeah, in your dreams pinhead," Rosalie responded sarcastically.</p>
<p>"We need to take care of this before it gets any worse," Carlisle broke into the conversation.</p>
<p>"So, you're just going to take off for Romania?" Jacob questioned with a surprised tone of voice.</p>
<p>"Yeah genius," Rosalie fired back. "That's exactly what we're going to do."</p>
<p>"And what's going to happen here while you're gone? What's going to happen to Charlie and Renee? If you think so little of us, then how are we supposed to protect them, or are you going to be taking them with you? And what about Nessie, I won't let you take her there."</p>
<p>Jacob's barrage of questions had little effect on Rosalie, but his last remark enraged her to near the end of her forbearance.</p>
<p>"Listen here, Fido," Rosalie roared as she stepped forward into her words. "You don't get to make decisions about Nessie."</p>
<p>Jacob countered her movement with an angry step forward of his own.</p>
<p>"Enough!" Carlisle interjected forcibly. "Charlie, Renee and Nessie, are Bella's and Edward's call, and we're going to leave that decision up to them."</p>
<p>Up until then Bella had given no thought to her parents or Renesme. Getting her hands on the vampires who were trying to get them killed was too much of a distraction. Everyone looked to her and Edward for a response. Edward ignored their attention. Bella was instantly stunned by it, but before she could respond Carlisle spoke up again.</p>
<p>"We can take Renesme, your parents and Phillip along with us," Carlisle softly advised. "Or we can leave them in Jacob's care."</p>
<p>"Here alone with just them wolves for protection?" Bella questioned with surprise.</p>
<p>"I was thinking we could send them away somewhere, so no one can find them," Carlisle calmly reassured.</p>
<p>"I'll keep them safe Bella," Jacob quickly spoke up. "You won't have to worry. No one will know where we are, I promise."</p>
<p>Bella looked to Edward for some sign of his approval.</p>
<p>"What do you think?"</p>
<p>"They will be safer in hiding than they will be with us," Edward somberly responded.</p>
<p>"Okay," Bella softly agreed after a short time.</p>
<p>The family agreed that Charlie and Renee needed to be brought up to date on their plans that night. They suspected that Charlie would need to make an arrangement to leave work for a short time, and they wanted him to get started on that as soon as possible. Bella elected to do this on her own without the rest of the family apart from her perennial escort, Edward.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee noted Bella's and Edward's arrival the moment they parked their car out front. Their unannounced appearance took them both by surprise. Up until then they always knew when a member of the Cullen family would arrive; either by phone call or a regularly scheduled visit. The latter was always in the morning shortly before Charlie took off for work. They both felt uneasy about this unexpected visit. Anything out of the ordinary from the Cullens was enough to generate apprehension in them. Their lives of late revolved around waiting for the next inexplicable event.</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee met them both at the door and let them in with eager anticipation that some new information was forthcoming. The absence of Renesme in their company gave credence to this suspicion. A social visit from Bella always came with Renesme by her side.</p>
<p>"What is it?" A nervous Renee eagerly inquired the instant they all were in the living-room.</p>
<p>"We need to leave town for a little while and so do you," Bella exclaimed delicately.</p>
<p>"Why?" Charlie asked Edward flatly.</p>
<p>"You won't be safe here with us gone," Edward answered calmly.</p>
<p>"What about the town, what happens to Forks while you're gone," Charlie inquired in a concerned tone of voice.</p>
<p>"The town will be fine," Edward responded unconvincingly.</p>
<p>"You don't know that, do you?" Charlie challenged Edward for an answer.</p>
<p>"I know that the residents of Forks are in relatively little danger with or without us being here, but I cannot say the same for the both of you, and Phillip."</p>
<p>Edward's immediate response caught Charlie by surprise. He thought it over for a brief moment before posing his next question.</p>
<p>"Where are we going?"</p>
<p>"Jacob will be taking the three of you along with Nessie somewhere safe," Bella spoke up quickly.</p>
<p>"And where might that be?" Charlie questioned suspiciously.</p>
<p>"Jacob has that information," Bella responded after a thought.</p>
<p>"You don't know where we're going, do you?" Charlie queried Bella and Edward heatedly.</p>
<p>"It's not safe for us to know that, Dad," Bella answered back.</p>
<p>Renee looked on with concern as she followed the conversation a step behind everyone else.</p>
<p>"What's going on? Where are you going?" Charlie challenged.</p>
<p>Bella paused for a moment out of reluctance to answer Charlie's question. Without knowledge of Bella's thinking, Edward had no intention of presuming to speak on her behalf. After a brief time, Bella decided to answer without deception.</p>
<p>"The Romanian Coven is spreading lies about us. They're trying to provoke a fight between us and the Volturi. If they're not stopped, they will likely succeed."</p>
<p>"Stopped?" Charlie questioned them both directly.</p>
<p>"By whatever means necessary," Bella softly answered back.</p>
<p>An instant later Charlie locked his eyes into a cross stare with Edward. He was not pleased, and Edward did not have to read his mind to know it.</p>
<p>"Bella," Renee called out with a mixture of fear and concern in her voice.</p>
<p>"It's either them or us mom," Bella responded to her cry.</p>
<p>Bella turned her attention to Charlie and spoke up to break the connection between him and Edward.</p>
<p>"You'll need to take time off from work starting the day after tomorrow."</p>
<p>"For how long," Charlie queried back.</p>
<p>"Two weeks," Bella answered back blandly.</p>
<p>"You'll be back in two weeks?" Renee queried in an excited and encouraged tone of voice.</p>
<p>Bella hesitated to answer this for a moment as she searched for the words.</p>
<p>"It should be over within two weeks," Bella spoke back softly.</p>
<p>Charlie turned back to scowl once again at Edward.</p>
<p>Bella was mostly indifferent to Charlie's disdain for Edward. She had not noticed this indifference at first because of her new, heightened control over all of her emotions. Within hours after becoming a vampire she noted this trait while taking stock of her new self. She at first attributed this new indifferent demeanor to the expanded capability of her mind. She suspected that her new sharpness, clarity and speed of thought along with a new found ability to process several inputs of data simultaneously had replaced her capacity to feel emotions. It took her less than an hour to disprove that theory. Her own worry about losing something she valued deeply, namely her love for Edward, engendered a deep emotional response. Several seconds later she catalogued that sensation, committed the event to memory and moved on to new business. She suddenly knew that all her human emotions were still there but simply suppressed beneath her vastly expanded cerebral faculties.</p>
<p>Because casual emotional events were quickly characterized, analyzed, dissected and filed away by the cognitive part of Bella’s brain, she invariably ignored Charlie's displeasure with Edward, and she had no doubt that Edward did the same. She had no real feelings about this so long as she maintained the affections of both. What did concern her from time to time was her indifference. Losing her human identity was at one time her greatest fear. This casual indifference to a situation that was a prominent part of her life did worry her, when she made the effort to experience it on an emotional level. She could not understand why she was instinctively aloof when it came to Charlie and Edward or the relationship between any two individuals separate from her. The idea of being indifferent about a hypothetical bellicose relationship between Edward and Renesme was far more worrisome to her than the event itself. The one thing Bella did know was that if she were still human this new state of being would terrify her.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>In the evening of the next day, after being told they had to leave Forks for two weeks, Renee and Charlie were rushing about the house gathering their necessities into as few bags as possible. The last minute directive from the Cullens caught them both by surprise. Renee had recently settled into the idea that she would not be leaving Forks in the near future. For Charlie, this was home and he never entertained ideas of visiting other places. From time to time, he did have to take trips because of his job. These short duration travels over the years enabled him to grow accustomed to packing light. What he was finding problematic about this trip were the last-minute adjustments he had to make at home and work. He became increasingly more irritated about leaving as he rushed about his house and office taking care of unfinished business, or transferring it to someone else.</p>
<p>Renee was trying to figure out how to fit ten times as many articles that Charlie had in only twice as many bags as he. She was doing this with a calm that was absent in her ex. She was no stranger to traveling, and the complexities of doing so were more amusement than drudgery for her. Even the rush of this surprise departure was little more than an interesting challenge.</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee were advised that the initial location that they would be traveling to was Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The Cullens purchased airline tickets for all five of them and provided them with the funds to go anywhere they wished from there. Beyond this flight, the Cullens had no desire to know any more. A satellite phone was to be their only connection for the next two weeks.</p>
<p>Getting airborne was a commonly used method of escape for one vampire fleeing another. Every other method of travel overland was capable of being followed by someone of their kind, but a tracker had neither the means to hunt or speed to keep up with someone flying at jet speeds through the air. All they needed to do was make sure there was no vampire aboard the aircraft with them when they took off. This was something the Cullens would take care of before they took off.</p>
<p>The Cullens thought it unlikely that Bella's parents were still being targeted now that they were both under their guarded protection. The general supposition by the family was that the Romanian Coven saw Renee as an easy target when she lived in Jacksonville, and there was little risk at that time of connecting her death back to them. The fact that the Romanian Coven had moved on to a new tact was evidence that Renee and Charlie were no longer a serious consideration for them. However, the family concluded that it was better to be safe than confident. Surprises of late had become the norm.</p>
<p>Bella, Edward, Renesme and Jacob sat quietly in the living-room as Charlie and Renee completed their last second packing upstairs. Li'l Phil was in his infant carrier next to Bella kicking and cooing; oblivious to the activity going on around him. Shortly Renee came down the stairs from the second floor and set two travel bags on the floor by the door. Jacob quickly jumped up to complete their journey to the waiting car out front.</p>
<p>"Let me take those," Jacob announced an instant before hoisting them off the floor and hurrying out the front door with them.</p>
<p>"Is that everything?" Bella queried as she, Edward and Renesme stood up from their seats.</p>
<p>"Oh yeah," Renee quickly reported. "I was just making sure I had everything I might need for Phillip. After all, we don't know where we're going, do we?"</p>
<p>Renee tinged the last part of her statement with sarcasm.</p>
<p>"No mom, I'm sorry. I don't know where you're going to be staying."</p>
<p>Bella's answer betrayed a little of her exasperation with the question.</p>
<p>Renee moved to check on Li'l Phil who was happily amused with his own fingers and toes.</p>
<p>"I can understand why you don't want to know," Renee pondered out loud, "but why can't we know?"</p>
<p>The Cullens elected not to tell Renee and Charlie about Edward's mind reading ability. They suspected that this knowledge would make them feel uncomfortable around him. Despite this effort, Charlie was already entertaining this suspicion and had been since he first learned that Edward was a vampire. Bits and pieces of evidence each day was adding fuel to this speculation.</p>
<p>"We wouldn't want you to blurt it out loud by accident," Bella thought quickly and stammered aloud.</p>
<p>Amused by this, Renesme had all she could do to contain herself from laughing. This went entirely unnoticed by Renee who was busy toying with Li'l Phil.</p>
<p>"What's dad doing," Bella questioned after a pause.</p>
<p>The sound of Charlie moving about upstairs could be clearly heard by all below.</p>
<p>"I don't know," Renee responded without looking up from Li'l Phil. "He was done packing an hour ago."</p>
<p>A few seconds later Charlie hurried down the stairs and began checking the shelves and drawers within the living-room.</p>
<p>"What are you looking for, Dad?" Bella quickly asked.</p>
<p>"My keys," Charlie quickly answered back without stopping. "I don't know what I did with them."</p>
<p>"They're probably in one of the bags," Renee threw out casually.</p>
<p>"No they're not," Charlie responded as he walked away towards the kitchen. "I checked the bags."</p>
<p>Bella followed him there, and watched as Charlie searched the kitchen.</p>
<p>"Did you leave them in the car?" Bella asked passively.</p>
<p>"I checked there too," Charlie quickly retorted as he continued to look.</p>
<p>After a brief search, Charlie went back into the living-room with Bella following behind. Charlie stood in the middle of the room and began looking about for some place he may have missed. A few seconds later Jacob walked into the house and living-room with a stunned expression across his face.</p>
<p>"What are we waiting on? We're going to miss the flight."</p>
<p>Jacob's exclamation had little effect on the assembled group there, much to his surprise.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?" Jacob queried again in a louder voice.</p>
<p>"Charlie can't find his keys," Edward shortly reported.</p>
<p>"Dad, you don't need your keys," Bella advised plainly. "I can lock up for you."</p>
<p>"I'm not leaving without my keys," Charlie rifled back as he continued to look about him.</p>
<p>"You're not trying to get out of this trip, are you, Dad?" Bella questioned sternly.</p>
<p>"I wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of packing if I weren't going," Charlie replied in an exasperated tone.</p>
<p>"It must be upstairs," Charlie concluded in frustration and started towards the stairs.</p>
<p>"You already looked there," Renee spoke up even as she continued to toy with Li'l Phil. Renesme stood by her and took pleasure in watching their play.</p>
<p>"I must have missed them," Charlie responded with an annoyed tone.</p>
<p>"Charlie, don't go up there," Renee exclaimed as she backed away from Li'l Phil. "Come here."</p>
<p>Charlie came to a stop three steps up.</p>
<p>"What is it?" He questioned.</p>
<p>"Just come here," Renee continued to urge.</p>
<p>Charlie turned back and walked down the stairs. He then walked back into the living-room, stopped in front of Renee and waited.</p>
<p>"You're trying too hard," Renee announced softly. "I need you to sit down and relax."</p>
<p>"Oh no, I don't have time for any of your Zen Voodoo meditation crap. We're going to miss the flight if I don't find those keys." Charlie retorted gruffly.</p>
<p>"Will you just do it, Charlie? It'll come to you if you just stop trying to force it."</p>
<p>Charlie grudgingly elected to entertain Renee's methodology.</p>
<p>"Sit down," Renee instructed.</p>
<p>Charlie followed her instruction and seated himself.</p>
<p>"Now relax. Close your eyes. Let your mind go blank. Take deep breathes."</p>
<p>Charlie followed Renee's instructions after a brief roll of his eyes.</p>
<p>"Feel the muscles in your feet relaxing. Feel it rising up your legs; up your torso. Feel it in your arms; your chest; in your neck. Feel the stress melting away."</p>
<p>As his reluctance fell away Charlie's participation increased. He began taking deep breathes in response to Renee moving in behind him and massaging his shoulders.</p>
<p>"Now separate your mind from body," Renee lured with a soft, gentle voice. "You're floating in a void, disconnected from all the stress and strains of your body. You're just floating, floating, floating," Renee continued to prompt, softly, as she massaged.</p>
<p>It had not been long before Charlie was sitting perfectly still with his eyes closed, and his breathing relaxed. After a brief time of this, Renee put a question to him in a soft tone of voice.</p>
<p>"Where did you put your keys?"</p>
<p>Almost instantly Charlie opened his eyes, stood up, stepped over to Li'l Phil, gently rummaged around inside his infant carrier and retrieved his keys out from under his blankie.</p>
<p>"He likes to play with my keys," Charlie confessed with a slight blush.</p>
<p>"Okay then, let's go." Renee instructed the group with a hint of superiority.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. When in Romania</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was one week after leaving Forks when the Cullens were quietly approaching the mostly forgotten ruins of a castle in a remote and mountainous area of Romania, at night. The sky was heavily overcast with clouds and the forest that enveloped them was near as black as the depths of an unlit cave, at least from the perspective of mortal eyes. Alice was directing their course. Her premonitions were providing the route, and time, necessary to achieve surprise.</p>
<p>Finding the general location of the Romanian Coven was not hard to accomplish. Most transient vampires within their domain kept tabs on their location. Edward surreptitiously tapped into this bank of knowledge with his mind reading ability. On one occasion, he acquired information from a pair of member vampires of the Romanian Coven itself.</p>
<p>Moving free over the land without any boundaries to consider felt good to the Cullens. Alice's ability to give them advance warnings about all that was about them, and Edward's ability to feel the workings of the minds of others from as far away as two miles, and extract thoughts from as far away as half a mile, gave the Cullens an unequaled capacity for stealth. While on the move they enjoyed this superiority and usually felt secure because of it, but at this moment, the Cullens were feeling very much ill at ease. They knew they would soon be facing off against a hostile coven of vampires, and they did not know how that exchange would end. This was due primarily because the exact size of the Romanian Coven was unknown to outsiders. They kept their true number a secret to discourage aggression from others. This for them was a practice that was carried over from more than two-thousand years back, when battles between covens were common occurrences.</p>
<p>Despite this practice, it was believed by all within the vampire community that the Romanian Coven numbered close to twenty. The Cullens were confident that they would find far less than half their number waiting within the ruins of the castle they were approaching. It was generally known throughout the vampire community that the Romanian Coven foraged widely for their food. The size of their coven dictated the size of their domain. Hunting exclusively within a single county, or several neighboring counties, was strictly prohibited. On top of this, Edward learned from the pair of Romanian Coven vampires they passed that seven of their number were sent out to Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, to spread false stories about the Cullens. This information emboldened them to push forward with their plan to confront Stefan and Vladimir.</p>
<p>The Cullens came to a stop two miles out and downwind of the Romanian Coven's location. For a vampire, this was less than a minute away at a sprint. Edward quickly extracted the number and state of mind of the vampires encamped there along with the flavor of their thoughts. From that distance, he was unable to read the actual text of their thinking.</p>
<p>"They don't know we're here," Edward whispered to the family.</p>
<p>"How many," Carlisle questioned softly.</p>
<p>"Six," Edward answered back. "Stefan and Vladimir are among them."</p>
<p>"What do you say Alice," Carlisle queried for the final okay.</p>
<p>"I think we should do this now, Carlisle," Alice responded softly.</p>
<p>Carlisle knew that Alice could not foresee the progression of a conflict involving numerous individuals. The variables were too many to see how all would fare from such a confrontation, but he trusted her to perceive the overall outcome. After pondering her answer for a moment, he came to a one-word response.</p>
<p>"Okay."</p>
<p>The Cullens took off at their best speed in the direction of the Romanian Coven's lair. They slowed to a walk when they came to within fifty yards of the walls of the castle ruins. Stefan, Vladimir, one other male, and three female vampires, were assembled there. They heard their approach within the final seconds of their sprint and quickly gathered together to confront them.</p>
<p>"Carlisle, this is a surprise," Stefan announced with a big smile.</p>
<p>"Hello, Stefan," Carlisle answered back as he brought his family to a stop.</p>
<p>"I didn't know you were coming," Stefan continued jovially. "If I had I would have acquired more attractive accommodations for our reunion."</p>
<p>"We wanted to surprise you," Carlisle confessed.</p>
<p>"And so you have, and you brought your entire coven. To what do we owe this pleasure? Or, is there another meaning behind this visit."</p>
<p>Stefan continued to feign pleasantry despite the inference in his last remark.</p>
<p>"You've been spreading a rumor that we're challenging the Volturi's authority," Carlisle stated bluntly.</p>
<p>Stefan was momentarily set aback by this statement. After a quick exchange of looks between himself and Vladimir, he responded defensively.</p>
<p>"You've been misinformed, Carlisle," Stefan responded coolly. "We have made no such accusation."</p>
<p>"I know that you have, Stefan," Carlisle softly challenged back. "You will confess to the other covens that this is a lie."</p>
<p>"The liar is the one who accuses us of this," Vladimir roared defiantly. "Name this vampire and I will get the truth for you."</p>
<p>Alice took two audacious steps forward. The Romanian Coven turned their eyes to her in unison. Vladimir ruffled his brow into an angry glare before turning his attention back to Carlisle.</p>
<p>"Your witch is mistaken this time Carlisle. We have accused you of nothing." Vladimir spat out the words.</p>
<p>Without giving a thought to challenging Vladimir's denial Carlisle calmly turned his gaze towards Edward. Without acknowledging the look, Edward responded to Carlisle's unspoken question.</p>
<p>"He lies."</p>
<p>Carlisle turned his attention back to Vladimir who was then seething with fury. Stefan quickly stepped in to diffuse the situation.</p>
<p>"Carlisle, let us be reasonable. After all, did we not stand witness for you when the Volturi marched upon your doorstep?"</p>
<p>"Is this the thanks we get?" Vladimir roared.</p>
<p>"I am grateful for the assistance you rendered, but you must see that I must put all gratitude aside and take offense to an assault of this stature to me and mine," Carlisle responded calmly.</p>
<p>"To what end would we have for disparaging your coven so despicably?" Stefan questioned in an astonished tone.</p>
<p>"If a majority of the covens come to believe this lie than the Volturi will feel forced to attack us," Carlisle explained in an insistent tone of voice.</p>
<p>"That's absurd; we hate the Volturi," Stefan challenged back. "Why would we do anything to aid them?"</p>
<p>"This is not about aid. This is about power," Carlisle responded angrily. "You're hoping that, in a fight, we'll weaken the Volturi enough so that you can take the revenge that you have long coveted."</p>
<p>"You can prove none of this," Stefan responded testily. "Your witches lie to you. Now leave here, before you provoke me too far."</p>
<p>Carlisle paused to consider his response. After a brief moment of contemplation, he elected to ask a question instead.</p>
<p>"Tell me Stefan, what do you know about the disappearance of Bella's stepfather?"</p>
<p>The entire Romanian coven was instantly and visibly taken by surprise by this question. Their eyes briefly darted from one to the other. Before he could formulate an appropriate response Edward spoke out ahead of him.</p>
<p>"He's going to tell a lie, Carlisle."</p>
<p>Stefan jerked an angry look at Edward.</p>
<p>"Stefan gave the order to have Renee killed," Edward continued. "Phil was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."</p>
<p>Angry now Stefan took a defiant stance.</p>
<p>"You dare come here and accuse me of something that only exists in the minds of your self-professed clairvoyants. I have long been your friend Carlisle, but now you have angered me beyond repair."</p>
<p>No sooner had Stefan made this remark did his coven take a defensive stance alongside him. Casual glances between the Cullens were their only response as a whole to this action. After taking a short time to assess the demeanor of his family with a look to the left and then to the right, Carlisle returned his attention to Stefan.</p>
<p>"You are giving us no other way out of this. I offer you one last chance to confess your lies before witnesses."</p>
<p>"You have not thought this through, Carlisle. Any action you take here will only work to confirm your ambitions for power over the covens."</p>
<p>"The damage is already done, Stefan," Carlisle responded in cool defiance. "You will either undo the harm you have done to us, or be the first to suffer the consequences of it."</p>
<p>As if on cue Stefan suddenly attacked Carlisle. His coven instantly followed his lead. The battle between the two covens was prolonged, but not overly so. Esme and Alice engaged two of the Romanian female vampires. Bella and Rosalie engaged the third. Bella's effort was less than impressive, but she was in danger of being harmed.  Rosalie was twice the equal of their opponent. Together they quickly beheaded this Romanian female; recasting the fight between the women to four against two. Carlisle and Emmett struggled with Stefan in what appeared to be a one-sided fight. Stefan could do little more than forestall the inevitable. Jasper kept the third male sufficiently entertained with no clear sign of either side getting the better of the other, but the battle between Edward and Vladimir had been going decidedly Vladimir's way.</p>
<p>Edward tried, on two occasions, to employ his newfound gift to his advantage. He quickly discovered that he could not fight and project his thoughts at the same time. His fighting skills suffered greatly from this distraction and Vladimir tossed him about savagely for it. Edward suddenly found himself at his opponent's mercy and suspected the end for him was near, but Vladimir elected not to finish him off in favor of racing to Stefan's assistance. Stefan was close to his own demise at the hands of Carlisle and Emmett. A dazed and severely battered Edward was slow to get back up on his feet.</p>
<p>The battle of Carlisle and Emmett against Stefan and Vladimir was suddenly an even contest. Alice quickly took note of this change and jumped into the fray leaving the battle between the women a contest of three against two. Emmett and Alice were quick to subdue and decapitate Vladimir who was no match for Emmett's strength and Alice's intuitive combat skills. Jasper's opponent immediately took note of Vladimir's fall and took flight out of fear for his life. Esme, Rosalie and Bella, managed to subdue the more aggressive of the remaining two female Romanian vampires shortly after the other one took flight into the surrounding countryside. The course of the battle swayed her to self preservation, as well.</p>
<p>Jasper, Alice and Emmett quickly turned their attentions to the conflict between Carlisle and Stefan. They joined in on the battle and shortly subdued the lone Romanian male vampire. Stefan was decapitated without hesitation, or ceremony. His remains along with the other decapitated Romanians were then quickly dismembered and set ablaze. Only then was the surviving female vampire brought before Carlisle for his judgment as to her fate.</p>
<p>"What's your name," Carlisle queried the female being restrained, and forced down on her knees, by Rosalie and Bella.</p>
<p>"Dorina," she answered back with fear in her voice.</p>
<p>Tall with handsome features, she looked to have been in her early thirties when she was turned. Her hair was jet black and draped down a half a foot below her shoulders. Carlisle studied her for several seconds before speaking again.</p>
<p>"I advise you to tell the truth about what happened here, Dorina. Your life is a gift that we may choose to revoke in the future if we hear otherwise."</p>
<p>"I will," she promised in an eager tone of voice.</p>
<p>"You tell this to the other members of your coven," Carlisle lectured sternly. "If we continue to hear lies about us from out of this coven we will come back."</p>
<p>Dorina quickly shook her head in the affirmative to acknowledge that she understood the message.</p>
<p>"Let her go," Carlisle instructed.</p>
<p>Rosalie and Bella released their hold upon their captive. Dorina quickly jumped up and fled into the black of the forest behind her.</p>
<p>Several minutes later the Cullens began their long trip home, leaving behind them the dying flames of the fire they started. Nearly all of their number felt good about what they had accomplished this night, but Edward was once again tortured by the thought that he was helpless to provide any meaningful defense for his family. The others took no notice of his intense feeling of despair.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Storm Clouds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eager to take advantage of what was left of the night, the Cullens raced across Romania at their best speed. For the Cullens, as it was for all vampires, the night was their friend. The minimal presence of mortals combined with the dark of the night made it possible for them to travel with little chance of being noticed. The absence of light had little effect on their visual acuity. As they zigzagged their way through the forests and across the landscape of Romania, they saw everything that a mortal would see during the brightest part of the day, and more.</p>
<p>Traveling cross country by foot was the most common mode of travel for vampires. This method of commuting over large distances minimized their presence within the mortal world. Producing and using identifications had historically been perceived as an unnecessary risk for them. They found it far simpler to skirt about the edges of the mortal world unnoticed. However, there were the occasional physical barriers that made the transit systems of mortals more convenient. Foremost among these obstacles were large bodies of water. This obstruction was traversable by vampires without the aid of external devices, but the effort of doing so was more trouble than it was worth given the comparatively easy accessibility of the transportation network of the mortals.</p>
<p>The Cullens were no different in this thinking. They made the bulk of their journey to Romania with the assistance of commercial aviation. Their plans for going home involved a return flight. In between them and their seats aboard a transatlantic flight was close to a thousand-miles of countryside. They expected to complete the journey after two nights of all out running. Going out of their way to skirt the attentions of mortals during the day was an annoyance that they preferred to do without.</p>
<p>The Cullens were far more at ease during their run out of Romania then they were when they entered. The release that came with completing a dangerous task successfully had nearly all within the family racing across the countryside in playful pursuit of whoever had the lead at the time. Edward continuously brought up the rear with complete disinterest in the frolicking of the rest of the family. At the end of the first night, the Cullens came to a stop just within Hungary's border with Austria.</p>
<p>The Cullens settled into a fireless camp within a broad wilderness area and began to discuss the ramifications of the night before. The two main concerns of the family were how the vampire community would view their actions and how would the Volturi respond. Everyone suspected that it was too early for Alice to detect any decisions from the Volturi regarding them. It was generally believed by all, that the Volturi would likely not hear of their adventure for another day or two. They did, however, take solace from the fact that Alice perceived no impending harm coming their way. Their minds eased by this report the Cullens relaxed and began their wait for the coming night. Bella took advantage of the quiet to comfort her brooding mate.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?"</p>
<p>"I could've gotten someone killed," Edward confessed angrily.</p>
<p>"Hey, you tried something new, and it failed," Bella responded softly.</p>
<p>"I needed this to work," Edward insisted forcefully.</p>
<p>"Why?" Bella questioned in a confused tone. "Why is this so important to you?"</p>
<p>Edward looked to Bella with a surprised expression and pondered how she could not know how much danger she was in.</p>
<p>"You're important to me," Edward enunciated adamantly. "My family is important to me. Everyone I care about is important to me."</p>
<p>Bella noted the hysterics in his words and placed a hand on his to calm his distress.</p>
<p>"We'll get through this," Bella whispered.</p>
<p>Edward pushed himself away from Bella's comforting words and found solitude elsewhere so that he could brood without distraction. Esme quickly went to Bella's side to endorse her effort.</p>
<p>Late the next night the Cullens arrived outside of Zurich, Switzerland and the motor hotel that they took residence in on the night of their arrival in Europe. Their return flight to the United States was an open-return ticket. The Cullens took immediate advantage of this and made arrangements to be airborne, and in route to the United States, by the morning of the next day. Carlisle wasted no time in recalling Jacob and his charges back to Forks via their satellite phone that he provided for them. Jacob told Carlisle to expect their arrival in two days time.</p>
<p>In the predawn morning of the next day, the Cullens piled into two separate rental cars and set out for Zurich Airport. The family was eager to complete their trip home due to their discomfort with being in the close confines of mortals without the protection of an overcast sky. Their plan was simply to get within the structure of the airport before sunrise and remain concealed from its rays all the way back to Seattle.</p>
<p>After returning their rental cars and entering the Zurich Airport Concourse Alice suddenly came to a stop. The family immediately took note of the distress across her face. It was obvious to them all that she had become overcome by a vision that was not pleasant for her to see. The rest of the family quickly stopped and converged around her with the exception of Edward. He stood back in a slightly detached way as he scanned her thoughts with a growing look of concern.</p>
<p>"What is it?" Jasper quickly queried her.</p>
<p>"Something's wrong," Alice announced in a stunned tone.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?" Jasper questioned directly.</p>
<p>"She doesn't know," Edward reported with a surprised inflection.</p>
<p>"What does that mean?" Emmett questioned sternly.</p>
<p>"There's something happening, or will happen," Edward stumbled with Alice's vision as she struggled to see it clearly, "and it's going to affect us when we get home."</p>
<p>"Affect us how?" Carlisle questioned with concern.</p>
<p>"All she knows is that we're not going to like it," Edward continued to report on Alice's behalf.</p>
<p>"We have to get back to Forks," Alice instructed in a hurried tone.</p>
<p>Before anyone can move a step, Bella spoke up in a concerned voice. "What about Renesmee and my parents, are they in any danger?"</p>
<p>"Whatever is causing this vision is in Forks." Alice quickly reassured.</p>
<p>"Maybe we should call and stop them from leaving?" Bella questioned Carlisle in a worried tone of voice.</p>
<p>"No Bella, I saw them," Alice continued to reassure. "They were there with us. They're fine. We just have to get home."</p>
<p>Alice's insistent plea stirred them to motion. The Cullen family quickly took off for the gate that their flight was leaving from and for home.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Twenty-six hours later the Cullens were back in the familiar surroundings of the overcast skies of Washington State. Immediately after securing himself within the rear seat of the car, that Jasper was driving, Carlisle called out to Billy Black on his cell phone.</p>
<p>"What happened?" Carlisle implored.</p>
<p>"I don't know. All I have are my suspicions right now." Billy reported quickly. "The only thing I do know for sure is that the entire pack is out chasing vampires."</p>
<p>"How long have they been out?" Carlisle questioned urgently.</p>
<p>"It's going on twenty-four hours now," Billy reported solemnly. "Something terrible must have happened. I've never seen them all so agitated before."</p>
<p>Carlisle concluded that he was not going to get any details from Billy. He urged him to tell Sam they were back in Forks when he got the chance and disconnected the call. He then turned his attention to Alice, sitting in the right front seat next to Jasper.</p>
<p>"I don't know," Alice insisted in response to Carlisle's unspoken inquiry. "I can't see them. I can't see any of them."</p>
<p>The Cullens raced toward Forks, in two separate cars, at speeds between ten and fifty miles per hour above the speed limit. They managed to evade speed traps and police interceptors with the help of Edward's and Alice's gifts. Nearly an hour later they drove up to the front of their house and saw Leah, Sam and Paul waiting there for them. Leah looked to be in grave distress. Sam and Paul were obviously angry.</p>
<p>"Seth is missing," Leah yelled out the instant the Cullens climbed out of the cars. "They took him."</p>
<p>"Who took him?" Emmett bellowed as he quickly confronted the group.</p>
<p>The rest of the family hurried up to Emmett's side.</p>
<p>"Two vampires took him," Sam reported in a grave tone of voice. "Why would they do that?"</p>
<p>"They must need him for something," Carlisle replied while half pondering the question.</p>
<p>"Need him for what," Leah challenged in a desperate voice.</p>
<p>"I don't know," Carlisle answered back softly.</p>
<p>"How did it happen?" Jasper interrogated.</p>
<p>"They had to have been planning this for weeks," Paul rifled his response. "They came in from the ocean and waited for one of us to come within striking distance."</p>
<p>"Why didn't Seth smell them?" Jasper queried back.</p>
<p>"They were downwind of the trail he was running," Paul argued back. "He didn't know they were there until it was too late."</p>
<p>"You should have been alternating your trails," Jasper lectured.</p>
<p>"We do," Sam roared back as he stepped closer to the debate. "They had to have been waiting there for three days at least. That's how long it's been since any of us used that trail."</p>
<p>"Which way did they go?" Jasper questioned Sam sternly.</p>
<p>"We followed the scent to the ocean," Sam soberly reported. "They must have had a boat waiting."</p>
<p>"Why was Seth out there by himself?" Edward challenged Sam angrily.</p>
<p>"We cover more ground when we run solitary patrols," Sam countered with equal ferocity.</p>
<p>"He shouldn't have been alone," Bella implored angrily.</p>
<p>"We're never alone," Sam argued back. "In our wolfen form we can hear, smell and taste each other's experiences."</p>
<p>"Half our number is always in wolf form," Paul quickly reinforced in an angry voice, "and when we're on patrol we always stay within five minutes of at least one other member of the pack."</p>
<p>"Five minutes was too long," Leah wailed in a voice laced with dread and worry. "We couldn't get to him in time. I thought he was dead. They attacked and then all of a sudden his mind was gone. It was like he just disappeared from existence."</p>
<p>"How do you know he's still alive?" Emmett questioned the trio.</p>
<p>"He's alive," Sam responded softly, in deference to Leah. "We can smell it. He's not in wolf form, but he is alive."</p>
<p>"Did you recognize the scent of the vampires?" Jasper queried the trio.</p>
<p>"Yes," Sam answered with smoldering angry.</p>
<p>"Were they Volturi?" Carlisle quickly questioned.</p>
<p>"Yes," Sam responded again, somberly.</p>
<p>There was a brief moment of pause as the Cullens took a moment to ponder this information. Leah shortly lost patience with the silence and spoke up with the question that most occupied her thoughts.</p>
<p>"What are they going to do to him?"</p>
<p>Carlisle moved a step towards her before giving the only answer he could think of for that question.</p>
<p>"I don't think they would have gone through the trouble of taking him, Leah, if killing him was their plan."</p>
<p>Leah took solace in this and relaxed her posture with the exhale of a long, deep breath. After a few more breathes she softly expressed the aspiration that had overwhelmed all other feelings and sensations within her.</p>
<p>"I want my brother back."</p>
<p>"We'll do what we can," Carlisle expressed carefully.</p>
<p>"I want my brother back," Leah demanded forcefully.</p>
<p>Carlisle had no response to this. He looked down and away as he took a step back.</p>
<p>"Tell me you're going after my brother," Leah insisted.</p>
<p>Carlisle was loathed to answer this. He knew that to commit his family to this objective would likely be a fatal error to some of them, if not all. He had no illusion that he and his family could take on the Volturi with any real hope of success. Carlisle understood that fending off the preternatural abilities of Jane and Alec was altogether different from engaging the Romanian Coven in physical combat.</p>
<p>"We have to go get my brother," Leah yelled after a time.</p>
<p>Leah took a brief time to study the faces of the Cullen family. She was just about ready to give up hope that anyone was going to give her the assurance that she wanted to hear, when Alice suddenly spoke up.</p>
<p>"We don't have to go to the Volturi. They're coming here."</p>
<p>Suddenly all eyes were on Alice.</p>
<p>"When," Jasper abruptly queried Alice.</p>
<p>"They'll be here in a few days. I'll know more as the time gets closer."</p>
<p>Edward was of course getting this information directly from Alice's thoughts. His demeanor became introspective shortly before Alice spoke up. Bella noticed his sudden change in disposition and turned her attention to him. Alice's announcement stopped her from questioning his state of being. She concluded after hearing Alice's words that he was reacting to her vision.</p>
<p>"I want to be there when they come," Leah spoke up in an excited tone.</p>
<p>"We'll all be there," Sam declared sternly.</p>
<p>There was little to be said after that. Sam, Leah and Paul, went back to the reservation to advise the other members of the Quileute shape shifting wolf pack of the news, and to make preparations for the coming battle. The Cullens settled back into their homes and began their wait for the return of Charlie, Renee, Li'l Phil, Renesmee and Jacob. Their arrival was anticipated for later that afternoon. A little later than expected the group rolled to a stop in front of the Cullen house and got out of the car. Waiting for them there at the foot of the stairs to the front door was the entire Cullen family. Renee, Renesmee and Jacob, were happy to see them all there uninjured, and were generous in expressing this feeling. Charlie was far more reserved about expressing his own feelings despite the fact that he was very much relieved to see Bella. The Cullens were equally subdued in their reactions at seeing them. They quickly exchanged greetings with the incoming group.</p>
<p>"What happened?" Jacob eagerly inquired of the Cullens.</p>
<p>"We took care of them," Emmett boasted proudly.</p>
<p>"So, come one, tell me. Did you rip their heads off?"</p>
<p>Carlisle and family were a little too embarrassed by the question to give an unvarnished answer to Jacob in front of Renee and Charlie.</p>
<p>"They won't be bothering us anymore," Rosalie spoke up to break the silence.</p>
<p>"What? They're still alive!" Jacob queried in a shocked tone.</p>
<p>"Some of them are," Emmett countered with a smile.</p>
<p>"Come on; come on tell me what happened."</p>
<p>Jacob's excited plea for details motivated Carlisle into action. He quickly began ushering Renesmee, Renee and Charlie into the house while promising to provide details for Jacob later. A few seconds later he quietly confronted Jacob just outside the front doorway to the house.</p>
<p>"Jacob, you need to get back to the reservation," Carlisle instructed solemnly.</p>
<p>"Why?" Jacob asked in a curious tone.</p>
<p>"Sam has news for you," Carlisle answered back.</p>
<p>"What? What news?"</p>
<p>"Sam is waiting for you," Carlisle repeated with a serious expression.</p>
<p>Jacob studied Carlisle's face for several seconds before taking off on foot for the reservation. After watching him disappear into the forest, Carlisle followed the others into the house.</p>
<p>As usual, Charlie was doing his best to read the faces of the Cullens from the moment he arrived. Their unease did not escape his notice.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?" Charlie questioned Carlisle in a sober and direct tone of voice.</p>
<p>Carlisle could think of no reason for being less than honest at that moment. He gave a quick look to the rest of the family for any dissension in this and then responded with the most succinct answer he could think of.</p>
<p>"The Volturi is coming."</p>
<p>Charlie took a moment to assimilate this before speaking.</p>
<p>"Okay, so how much time do we have?"</p>
<p>"No dad," Bella quickly spoke up. "This is something that we have to take care of."</p>
<p>"This is still my city."</p>
<p>"There's nothing you can do Charlie that will help us," Carlisle instructed.</p>
<p>Carlisle's response altered Charlie's temperament to the edge of anger. His breathing suddenly became more pronounced, and his demeanor took on an obvious look of defiance. He glared into the face of Carlisle, then to Edward and back again to Carlisle before speaking again.</p>
<p>"I am not going to sit on the sidelines for this."</p>
<p>Edward was monitoring Charlie's growing anger towards them. Shortly, he thought to intercede on Carlisle's behalf to absorb the brunt of the eruption he knew was coming.</p>
<p>"Chief Swan . . ."</p>
<p>Charlie quickly cut Edward off with a furious glare, an angry point of his finger and a bellicose remark.</p>
<p>"You don't talk! You don't say anything to me!"</p>
<p>The room went quiet as Charlie scowled at Edward. Shortly Bella broke the silence.</p>
<p>"Dad, I need you to let us take care of this. Please?"</p>
<p>Charlie was slow to agree to this. His rage and his desire to protect his only child made rational thought a complicated process for him. In the back of his mind, however, he knew that he was helpless to do anything beneficial for Bella, and this made him all the more angry. In the end, he grudgingly acceded to her request with a huff.</p>
<p>"Okay, so what do I do?" Charlie questioned Bella with a frown.</p>
<p>"I want you and mom to stay away from here until I come for you," Bella insisted.</p>
<p>Charlie was suddenly without words. He gave Bella a long stare before a question came to him.</p>
<p>"What about Nessie?"</p>
<p>"I think it's best for her and for you and Mom if she stays hear with Jacob."</p>
<p>No sooner had she spoken did Jasper counterman those instructions with an abrupt, "no."</p>
<p>"They should stay here at the house," Jasper mused as he spoke.</p>
<p>All eyes turned to Jasper for an explanation. Bella was the first to speak.</p>
<p>"They won't be safe here," Bella challenged back.</p>
<p>"They'll be safer here then they will be in town," Jasper rebutted.</p>
<p>"You know what will happen." Bella's statement was adamant.</p>
<p>Jasper turned to look at Bella face on before taking a step towards her. Everyone could tell from his stance and demeanor that he was about to present his argument to the one person who needed to hear it the most.</p>
<p>"We can't provide any security for your parents in town, not now. The shape-shifters are remaining clustered close by while running patrols about the house, four at a time in two teams. They're not going to get anywhere near the house. Sam and Jacob and the rest of the wolf pack are going to find them long before they get anywhere near here. When that happens we can meet them in the forest, and if things should go wrong," Jasper continued in a solemn voice, "Jacob will be here to act on that information."</p>
<p>Jasper almost whispered the last part of this statement while cocking his head away from Charlie and Renee.</p>
<p>"What do you mean go wrong?" Renee questioned in a panicked voice.</p>
<p>A brief silence overcame the room as Bella took a moment to ponder Jasper's reasoning. With reluctance, she acquiesced to the logic of his thinking.</p>
<p>"Okay."</p>
<p>"Bella, what's happening?" Renee queried in a frightened voice.</p>
<p>"Everything is going to be okay, Mom. You and Dad are going to stay here for awhile."</p>
<p>Renee was lost for words and simply stared at her daughter with a look of grave concern across her face. Bella looked to Charlie for acceptance of this plan, to which he gave with a nod. Renesmee observed this exchange in awed silence.</p>
<p>After a short time, Renee composed herself enough to query the room for an answer to a question that she feared to hear.</p>
<p>"What do these Volturi want?"</p>
<p>"We don't know, Mom. We won't know until they get here."</p>
<p>"You're talking like they're coming here to hurt you."</p>
<p>"We don't know that, Mom."</p>
<p>"Why don't you just leave," Renee offered in an alarmed tone? "If you're not here they'll just go away."</p>
<p>There was a moment of silence. Bella used this time to formulate a delicate answer while the rest of the family waited on her.</p>
<p>"We don't know that either, Mom."</p>
<p>Renee examined the faces of the rest of the Cullen family for confirmation of this. She was shortly convinced that they suspected more than they were willing to share about what would happen when the Volturi arrived, and that the Cullens feared for the worse.</p>
<p>"Everything is going to be okay, Mom," Bella spoke up in a soothing voice after a brief time. "I promise."</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee agreed, with reluctance and trepidation respectively, to let the Cullens manage this situation as they saw fit.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>For the next three days, the Cullens waited and prepared for the arrival of the Volturi. The Quileute shape-shifting wolf pack ran circular patrols around the home of the Cullens in two pairs at a time. Carlisle gave them strict orders not to pursue or engage any vampire they find, not that he was overly concerned that they would run into the bulk of the Volturi Coven. Alice was giving him near hourly updates on their movements. Carlisle was more concerned about any transient vampire that the wolves might come across. He feared a confrontation with a stray recruit of the Volturi could be used as the impetus for a confrontation between them.</p>
<p>Alice's predictions about the location of Aro, Caius and Marcus, and what events they could expect to occur in the immediate future were as dependable as usual. When she tried to look further head than that, to see the actual moment of their meeting, she saw nothing. This void in her precognition frustrated her immensely. Over the duration of these three days, she was in a perpetual foul mood because of it. On the fourth day, her mood transitioned to fear.</p>
<p>"I'm blind," Alice spoke up in a near horrific tone. "I can't see them. I lost them."</p>
<p>"Alice, relax," Carlisle implored. "We knew this was coming. It just means that Aro, Caius and Marcus are with Seth now."</p>
<p>Still panicked Alice continued to express her fears.</p>
<p>"I don't know where they are, Carlisle! I don't know what's going to happen!"</p>
<p>With a brief embrace, Carlisle answered back.</p>
<p>"Welcome to the club."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. We Meet Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Two full days passed since Alice's visions of Aro, Caius, and Marcus disappeared into a black-hole in the back of her mind. The Quileute shape-shifting wolf pack was just as blind because of the tight perimeter they were maintaining about the Cullen home. Under Sam Uley's orders, shape-shifters on patrol were required to stay no more than a twenty minute run from the Cullen's house, from any location along their route. This restriction made any attempt to actively sniff out the location of the Volturi nearly impossible. When given the whole of the day to work with the shape-shifting wolves, working as a team, could easily have covered a radius greater than five-hundred miles. This twenty minute restriction coupled with the limited number of them on patrol at any given time made a fifty mile radius the best that shape-shifters could adequately secure. This being the case their only alternative was to wait for the Volturi to come within range of their keen sense of smell.</p>
<p>Charlie delayed his return to work so that he could wait out this coming event. He was encouraged in this by the whole of the Cullen family; their sole motivation being his protection, and theirs. Just like the Quileute shape-shifters, the Cullens feared spreading themselves out across a wide area.</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee made themselves at home within this large house full of vampires as best as they could. Sustaining their physical needs was easy enough to accomplish, much to their surprise. Charlie and Renee quickly learned that the vampires needed next to nothing in terms of shelter, comfort or sustenance and that they were extremely accommodating with regards to theirs. They were ushered into rooms that were once occupied by Edward and Bella, and Jasper and Alice. The house was quickly stocked with groceries and beds were quickly purchased and setup, both of which were solely for their use. They were also waited on, day and night, by the entire family. Physically speaking they were without complaints. Their ill ease came from the fact that they were perpetually bumping into someone who looked upon them as food. Even Bella noted a new distance in her relationship with her parents.</p>
<p>The apprehension that Charlie and Renee were experiencing towards Bella, and the Cullens, had only recently developed to the point that they felt intimidated when they were in the same room with them. They both felt physically inferior to the vampires from the instant Bella demonstrated her new physical prowess, but they were quick to come to the feeling of being in the presence of friends and allies after that. The intimidation that they were feeling, at this time, came into being halfway through the first full day of their stay within the Cullen home. Renee inquired, at that time, about the one thing that had been puzzling her all that morning.</p>
<p>"I thought vampires couldn't go outside during the day?"</p>
<p>"It's a myth," Rosalie flatly answered without so much as turn of her head in Renee's direction.</p>
<p>Esme and Rosalie were outside at the back of the house tending to the garden. Renee was watching them work. Carlisle and Jasper were there, as well, attending one of their favorite pastimes together, chess, while Charlie looked on in amazement at the extraordinary speed of their play.</p>
<p>"So, all that talk about sunlight being able to kill a vampire is made up," Renee inquired in an inquisitive tone of voice.</p>
<p>"Over time, it became the popular explanation among mortals regarding our preference for the night," Esme explained calmly.</p>
<p>"So why do you prefer the night?" Charlie quickly questioned back.</p>
<p>"We don't prefer the night," Esme responded cautiously.</p>
<p>Esme stopped her gardening to give her full attention to this conversation. Rosalie followed suit a second later. Charlie took note of this and decided to pry a little further.</p>
<p>"But then you do, or you did, avoid the sunlight?" Charlie queried carefully.</p>
<p>Esme was reluctant to answer this question. She first turned her head to give Rosalie a questioning look before turning the other way to check Carlisle and Jasper for their approval. Carlisle gave no indication that he noticed her attention until after he completed his final chess move with a resounding "checkmate" a few seconds later. He and Jasper both then turned their attentions towards Charlie.</p>
<p>"The direct rays of the sun have an illuminating effect on our skin," Carlisle explained in a frank tone of voice.</p>
<p>"What does that mean," Renee queried with intrigue.</p>
<p>"The early mortals that knew of our kind thought that our flesh was on fire," Charlie softly answered back. "We conceal ourselves from mortals by avoiding the sunlight."</p>
<p>"I'm surprised that you go through the trouble of hiding," Charlie countered in an off-the-cuff manner.</p>
<p>"We have our reasons," Jasper responded coyly.</p>
<p>"Meaning what?" Charlie questioned back directly.</p>
<p>Jasper deferred to Carlisle with a look. Carlisle, in turn, paused to check for dissension from Esme and Rosalie. After seeing none, he turned back to Charlie and his question.</p>
<p>"Several thousand years ago, when vampires first made their appearance, they were very much open about it. The innate brilliance of our skin was just one of many things that made us appealing to mortals. For a brief time, vampires were regarded as celestial beings. We were even deified."</p>
<p>"So, what happened?" Charlie prodded in a curious tone of voice.</p>
<p>"Mortals, human mortals are the natural prey of vampires," Carlisle continued gently. "All of these attractive attributes were simply lures to draw mortals in."</p>
<p>Carlisle paused to check for Charlie's and Renee's depth of comprehension with a look.</p>
<p>"I don't understand," Charlie spoke up after a moment of thought. "I thought you could feed on the blood of animals?"</p>
<p>"The blood of humans is almost irresistible to a vampire," Rosalie spoke up bluntly.</p>
<p>Esme gave Rosalie a sideways look. Charlie panned around to give everyone there a cautious look.</p>
<p>"You don't seem to be having a problem," Charlie spoke to no one in particular.</p>
<p>"Not without some effort," Rosalie slyly countered.</p>
<p>Esme turned to give Rosalie a straight on look that said, okay that's enough.</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee both were quick to pick up the inference in Rosalie's remark. Carlisle spoke up in an attempt to minimize the damage.</p>
<p>"With training, and self-discipline, vampires are capable of curbing their appetite."</p>
<p>"Which is what everyone here has done?" Renee queried nervously.</p>
<p>"Some less than others," Rosalie answered back with a smile.</p>
<p>"Rosalie," Esme quickly admonished.</p>
<p>"That still doesn't explain why you hide yourselves from humans," Charlie suspiciously queried for the rest of Carlisle's explanation.</p>
<p>Carlisle paused to give Esme, Rosalie and Jasper in turn a look of concern before continuing.</p>
<p>"It wasn't long before the vampires back then decimated the bulk of the available mortal population within the vicinity. The mortals that remained saw no reason to continue reproducing."</p>
<p>A gasped exclamation of "oh my god" blurted out from Renee.</p>
<p>"The vampires began fighting amongst themselves for those mortals still living. The few vampires that survived this...," Charlie paused to search his thoughts for the appropriate word.</p>
<p>"Food fight," Rosalie volunteered with a smile.</p>
<p>Carlisle paused to give Rosalie a brief scowl before accepting the verbiage and continuing with his recount.</p>
<p>"They made a covenant never again to disclose their existence to mortals. The penalty agreed upon for doing so was death."</p>
<p>"For both the vampire and the human," Rosalie quickly inserted.</p>
<p>Esme quickly gave her an angry scowl.</p>
<p>"This covenant is the law that all vampires live under still," Jasper concluded calmly.</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee accepted this explanation without comment and shortly slipped away for a part of the house unoccupied by vampires.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Shortly into the second full day Eleazar, Carmen, Kate and Tanya arrived once again at the house. Their return was wholly unexpected. Carlisle gave strict instructions to everyone not to contact the Denali Coven. Eleazar quickly informed Carlisle that he and his family's present situation was common knowledge throughout the vampire community.</p>
<p>"There is a rumor going around that the Volturi are on the move. Did you really think you could keep this a secret from us?"</p>
<p>"Eleazar," Carlisle implored, "this is not like before. There is no misunderstanding here. The Volturi bring no witnesses this time. They will do whatever they've come to do."</p>
<p>"Then we will meet them together," Eleazar countered in a cavalier tone.</p>
<p>Carlisle turned his attention to Carmen. "You can't be here," he pleaded.</p>
<p>"We have lived a long time Carlisle," Carmen responded softly. "Life can become tiring when one lives for as long we have. I can think of one thing only to recommend such an existence to anyone, and that is the pleasure of the society of the people that we love. We will not suffer the loss of this coven quietly."</p>
<p>"Tanya, Kate, there is nothing you can do here."</p>
<p>"You're too late Carlisle," Kate answered back. "We've already had this discussion. It's decided.</p>
<p>Carlisle accepted their decision with a display of reluctance. Internally his disposition was one of relief. Despite his fear for their well being, he was still grateful for their assistance, if not hopeful that it would do any good.</p>
<p>For the rest of the day, the two families pondered over the sudden disappearance of the Egyptian coven. Per Carlisle's earlier request, Eleazar had done some investigating into this mystery. He still had no answers. There was, however, no shortage of rumors and speculations, a few of these centered on the Cullens.</p>
<p>"Romanian lies," Carlisle asserted sharply.</p>
<p>"We know Carlisle," Eleazar countered calmly. "But your association with the shapeshifters did not win you any friends, and there are many who have taken offense to your killing Vladimir and Stefan. That plus this new accusation regarding the Egyptian Coven is generating a growing call for the Volturi to take the Olympic Coven down a peg or two."</p>
<p>"The Romanians had to pay a price. If we did nothing, we would still be in this predicament."</p>
<p>"It is not like you Carlisle to be so combative," Eleazar queried curiously. "What has changed?"</p>
<p>"If it was just me they were doing harm to that I could ignore. This was an attack on my family Eleazar. I could not let that go unanswered."</p>
<p>"My mistake Carlisle," Eleazar countered pleasantly. "It is very much like you to put our family above all other considerations."</p>
<p>Much of the Denali Coven's conversations with the Olympic Coven were held in a location sufficiently removed from Charlie's or Renee's hearing. This was particularly difficult with Charlie who was eager for any updates regarding the Volturi. Whenever they were within earshot of their exchanges the topic of conversation was always kept genial so as not to worry them.</p>
<p>For the rest of the second day, and most of the third, there was nothing for the two covens to do but wait and mingle. This pattern was disrupted by the sudden arrival of Sam outside of the house.</p>
<p>Sam did not bother changing into human form. He knew that Edward would hear his thoughts and communicate them to the others. When the horse size wolf sprang out of the forest and slid to stop not more than ten yards from the front of the house he found all the occupants of same, minus Renee and Li'l Phil, standing out in front of it. Jacob, Charlie and Renesmee took up a stance at the top of the stairs. Everyone else stood in a line within the driveway at the front of the house. Renee stood watch from the window of her room. Jacob was in attendance in his usual capacity as Renesmee's bodyguard.</p>
<p>Sunset had already come and gone, and the last of the blue sky was quickly fading to black. The hulking black wolf froze in its tracks and began recalling memories of recent acts and decisions, so that Edward would have a full picture of what was happening. After taking a brief time to consume this, Edward responded vocally.</p>
<p>"Sam, you don't have to do this."</p>
<p>A soft growl rumbled from behind Sam's clinched teeth. Coinciding with this, the black wolf's stance hardened, and its head lowered to a barely perceptible degree.</p>
<p>"What is it?" Carlisle queried Edward for a translation.</p>
<p>"The Volturi is coming," Edward responded softly. "Sam says that if we leave right now we can intercept them in one of the clearings high up in the mountains. Sam has two wolves running guard around the house now. The rest of the pack will rendezvous with us at whatever location we choose."</p>
<p>Carlisle briefly considered the idea of trying to talk Sam out of coming, but Edward shortly cut him off.</p>
<p>"He insists on coming. They all do."</p>
<p>"I don't want the wolf pack there," Carlisle sternly insisted. "Not for this."</p>
<p>"Seth is with them," Edward countered regretfully. "There's no keeping them away Carlisle. Their minds are fixed."</p>
<p>Carlisle accepted this resolution with a visible show of regret.</p>
<p>After a moment, Jasper broke the silence with a quick and direct question, "how many?"</p>
<p>"Close to forty," Edward responded somberly.</p>
<p>A sudden silence enveloped the group only to be broken after a short time by a bombastic statement from Emmett.</p>
<p>"Finally, some competition, I hate easy fights. It's like watching a football game that's a blowout. What's the point?"</p>
<p>Once again there was silence that was shortly followed by a loud remark from Charlie.</p>
<p>"Bella, we have to leave here." Charlie's statement was loud and insistent.</p>
<p>"I'm not going anywhere, Dad," Bella responded in kind.</p>
<p>"We should all go," Edward quickly jumped into this exchange.</p>
<p>All eyes turn to Edward in surprise. These were the last words any of them expected to hear from him. Edward quickly spoke up to defend his words.</p>
<p>"This is my fault. This is all my doing," Edward confessed in a distraught tone. He then turned and looked directly into Rosalie's eyes before speaking again. "You were right. My feelings for Bella did concern all of you."</p>
<p>Rosalie returned Edward's stare and responded to his declaration after a short exchange of looks.</p>
<p>"We're a family. We take care of each other even if that means fighting for the woman that he loves."</p>
<p>Carlisle shortly interrupted this debate with a grave statement of his own.</p>
<p>"This is no one's fault, and this involves more than us. The wolves are not going to let the Volturi leave here with Seth if they can help it. We all know that."</p>
<p>Carlisle paused to formulate the verbiage for what he was about to say and then continued in a tone that was even more somber than before.</p>
<p>"I won't stop anyone from leaving. I hope that you will, but I cannot."</p>
<p>A short time passed as everyone thought upon Carlisle's words before Esme walked over and gave Edward a hug. She then moved away to Carlisle's side and took his hand into hers.</p>
<p>"Okay then," Emmett announced in an upbeat tone, "let's do this."</p>
<p>Charlie quickly yelled out to challenge this decision, "Bells!"</p>
<p>Bella moved to the foot of the stairs and took a moment there to note the anguish on her father's face before responding to the plea behind it.</p>
<p>"I have to do this, Dad."</p>
<p>"No, you don't," Charlie insisted. "This is not your fight."</p>
<p>"This is my family now," Bella responded with defiance. "Their fight is my fight."</p>
<p>Charlie had no response to this. He had all he could do managing the terror that had welled up within him.</p>
<p>"I need you and Mom to stay here, Dad. Jacob will know what to do."</p>
<p>Charlie was too shocked for words. After a brief pause, Bella backed away from Charlie's bewildered stare. As soon as she was back in place by Edward's side the Olympic and Denali Coven's turned their collective attentions toward Sam. The large black wolf took a moment to acknowledge their stares before starting back toward the forest. Before he could complete his turn Jacob stepped forward and called out.</p>
<p>"Sam!"</p>
<p>The massive black wolf looked back and exchanged stares with Jacob. Edward shortly intervened to translate.</p>
<p>"He knows Jacob."</p>
<p>A moment later, Sam Uley disappeared into the black of the forest. Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Bella, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice, Eleazar, Carmen, Kate and Tanya, followed his lead one after the other.</p>
<p>********</p>
<p>The vampires raced through the forest along a trail marked out by Sam Uley's scent. The run had lasted for nearly an hour when they came across a clearing on a mountaintop plateau. Waiting for them there just inside the forest perimeter was the Quileute shape-shifting wolf pack. The wolves were spread out in a line fifty yards long. The Olympic and Denali covens slowed to a walk twenty yards back from the clearing, walked up on the wolves from behind and positioned themselves within the center of their number. Situated just off to the right of the vampires were Sam Uley and Leah Clearwater.</p>
<p>All but one of the vampires detected nothing of the Volturi. They were still too far away for the vampires to perceive them by sight, sound or smell. Edward, however, had the advantage of being able to access the minds of the wolves around him. This enabled him to partake in the myriad of smells they were sorting through. Out of all of the smells around them for the wolves there was one group of scents that was uniquely distinctive to them. The smell was faint and seemed to come and go with the wind gusting up the side of the mountain, ricocheting through the surrounding trees and briefly spilling out across the plateau. When the gust subsided the scent was washed away by the gentle easterly wind. Edward detected the signature smell of thirty-seven vampires and one shape-shifting human.</p>
<p>"What's happening?" Carlisle softly questioned Edward.</p>
<p>"They're on the far side of the mountain."</p>
<p>"Are they coming this way?" Emmett quickly asked.</p>
<p>"The wolves seem to think so," Edward answered back. "Paul and Embry are scouting them. They're nearly five miles away according to them and if they stay on their present course and pace they should be here in a couple of hours."</p>
<p>"Why are they moving so slowly?" Rosalie pondered out loud.</p>
<p>"Seth," Edward answered back. "They're walking him here in his human form."</p>
<p>Rosalie was quick to understand that she had overlooked the obvious answer and settled in for the wait.</p>
<p>An hour later, Edward got his first independent confirmation of the Volturi's presence. His mind began to taste the flavor of the thoughts approaching from the far side of the plateau. Almost at that same moment, he detected a sudden spike in the tension level in Alice's thoughts.</p>
<p>"There's something out there," Alice suddenly announced to the group.</p>
<p>All vampire eyes swung to Alice and then shortly after to Edward.</p>
<p>"They're coming," Edward responded to their unasked question, "and they know we're here." After a brief pause, he qualified the latter part with a word, "Demetri."</p>
<p>Jasper immediately began to wonder why the presence of the shapeshifters did not affect Demetri in the same way they did to Alice.</p>
<p>"They do," Edward responded to his silent pondering. "He's tracking the void we disappear into when we're close to a shapeshifter."</p>
<p>An hour later Paul and Embry raced into the clearing from the far side of the plateau and crossed the wide expanse in three quick bounds. Alice was openly startled by their sudden appearance. The absence of the ability to wade through the tapestry of possible near future events became increasingly unnerving for Alice as this growing shadow across her visions crept closer. From a sighted person's perspective, it would be akin to gradually going blind.</p>
<p>The return of Paul and Embry heightened the tension among the group even more than it had been before. Everyone waited and watched for some sign of the Volturi's approach. After a span of little more than ten minutes, the first sounds of movement beneath the forest, on the far side of the clearing, could be heard by the vampires. The wolves had been monitoring their footfalls for nearly twice that long.</p>
<p>Carlisle looked to Edward and queried him one last time while he could. "What are their intentions?"</p>
<p>"Aro is with them," Edward responded without hesitation, "I can feel his thoughts, but he is guarding his thinking closely. I sense he means to do us harm and Caius has no doubt of this. His is an engagement of annihilation."</p>
<p>"And Marcus what are his thoughts?"</p>
<p>"Marcus is equally convinced, but far less eager for it."</p>
<p>Carlisle accepted the report stoically and returned his attention to the clearing. After the passage of a couple of minutes, Edward spoke again.</p>
<p>"They'll be stepping into the clearing in a few minutes."</p>
<p>Carlisle's only indication that he noted Edward's report was his slow walk into the open space in front of them, a few seconds later. The rest of the Olympic and Denali vampires followed his lead a step behind. Carlisle brought the line to a stop two fifth's of the way across the clearing. The moonless overcast night would have made visibility nearly impossible for a mere mortal. For the vampires, and shape-shifting wolves assembled in and about this clearing, this was not a problem.</p>
<p>Carlisle, family, and friends waited in a line within the clearing. After little more than four minutes, the first sign of the Volturi appeared from beneath the forest canopy in front of them. They strode gracefully into the clearing in a narrow V formation. Aro was in the lead with Marcus a few feet off to his right and Caius equally spaced to his left. Immediately aft of Aro and a half step to the right was Renata.</p>
<p>Long before Edward could see the Volturi he perceived the presence of the large coven as a collection of several dozen minds whispering softly in his head. At their furthest distance, these whispers were a blur of sound, each mind indistinguishable from the one next to it. As a group, from that distance the best that he could discern was that they were anticipating a battle. Slowly, as this mass of consciousness moved closer, he began picking out individual thoughts. The closer they got the quicker the scanning process became. Edward was not interested in the nonsensical wonderings of the subordinates. He would discard these thoughts from his immediate attention the instant he verified their lowly status within the group. He tested the minds of the approaching coven, one after the other, so that he could catalog their identity. He did not need to read their thoughts to do this. Each mind had a flavor that Edward committed to memory each time he sampled a new one. Finding the thoughts of Aro, Caius and Marcus was simply a matter of tasting the flavor of their thoughts. This process took anywhere from three to four seconds per person to a mere fraction of second, depending on the distance and the volume of minds around him.</p>
<p>It did not take Edward long to pick out Aro's, Caius' and Marcus' minds. Seth's mind was singularly distinguishable within the midst of the multifaceted thinking of the vampires. Aro's mind was the one mind that he most wanted to read, but to Edward's surprise his thoughts suddenly became a secondary interest. There was another mind among the group that he had not expected to be there. The flavor was unmistakable. Why was it there? Edward quickly pushed the whispered ponderings of the Volturi Coven members to the sidelines of his mind and delved into the thoughts of this unexpected addition to their number.</p>
<p>The narrow procession extended two-fifths of the way across the field before Aro stopped. The line of vampires behind him slowly began to fan out to either side of him in two rows. Conspicuous among their number was Seth halfway down the front row to Aro's left. His wrists were manacled to a thick metal band locked about his waist. An equally thick metal collar was fastened about his neck that had two heavy chains attached to either side of it. Holding the ends of these eight foot long chains were two large vampires. When the procession finally settled to a stop Aro exhibited a large smile to Carlisle and company as he raised his hands towards them palm up.</p>
<p>"My dear friends, we meet again."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Letting Go</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Quileute shape-shifting wolf pack began moving out of the forest an instant after Aro began talking. In a fashion typical of a predator stalking an unwitting prey, the wolves skulked out into the clearing. Moving in slow motion they crept towards either end of the Olympic/Denali line of vampires. The faint sound of a growl rumbled out from behind their clenched jaws.</p>
<p>"Oh, and look you've brought the pets," Aro spoke up in a mocking tone.</p>
<p>Caius was exhibiting a great deal of pleasure with Aro's humorous remark. Marcus' demeanor was indifferent as usual.</p>
<p>"As you can see, I have a pet dog myself." Aro indicated to Seth with a gesture of his hand. "We call him Spot. What do you think? Is the name to common? I can't be sure about these things. I've never had a pet before."</p>
<p>The growl from the wolves increased in volume as their pace hastened by half.</p>
<p>"Sam," Carlisle turned and called out to the large black wolf. "Let me try."</p>
<p>The wolves stopped in their tracks, but the low rumble of their growl continued.</p>
<p>"Really Carlisle," Aro continued in his mocking tone. "You should consider a leash for your dogs. They're positively wild."</p>
<p>"Aro," Carlisle nearly pleaded, "you must surrender the boy."</p>
<p>"Really, and why is that, Carlisle? Why is it that the Olympic Coven is the only coven of vampires allowed to have shape-shifters as guard dogs?"</p>
<p>"Our relationship with the shapeshifters is one of mutual respect. We are obliged to extend to them the same courtesy that they have given us. They're not animals to be chained."</p>
<p>"I beg to differ," Aro quickly retaliated. "That's exactly what they are."</p>
<p>"We have entered into a treaty with the Quileute people that we are bound by."</p>
<p>A loud laugh escaped from Caius' mouth.</p>
<p>"Your relationship with shape-shifters does not extend to the rest of us," Caius announced angrily.</p>
<p>Carlisle ignored Caius' rebuke.</p>
<p>"This is my home, Aro. What happened to respecting a coven's territory?"</p>
<p>"So we're talking about respect now," Aro mockingly announced as he played to the amusement of his own coven. "I find that a strange topic for the Olympic Coven. Rumor has it old friend that you've been plotting our destruction. Now I ask you, how am I to take such disturbing news?"</p>
<p>"The Olympic Coven doesn't know the meaning of the word respect," Caius put in angrily.</p>
<p>"These rumors are lies," Carlisle spoke up plaintively. "Aro, you are too intelligent to give weight to unsubstantiated rumors."</p>
<p>"But we do have evidence of your lack of respect," Aro quickly answered back. "What of the Romanian Coven, how do you explain your actions there? Was that the act of a coven that respects the rights of his fellow vampires?"</p>
<p>"The Romanians were acting against us," Carlisle quickly defended. "It was their plan to force a confrontation between us."</p>
<p>"So, you're blaming the Romanians for our presence here," Caius scoffed.</p>
<p>"No," Carlisle answered calmly after a pause. "I think your presence here was in no way motivated by the Romanians."</p>
<p>Aro immediately took ownership of the response to this declaration. He extended his arms into the air and took a theatrical pose to demonstrate this.</p>
<p>"Oh, so I see. You think we are here for a malicious reason of our own design."</p>
<p>"What am I to think, Aro, when you come here with your entire coven at your back and no witnesses?"</p>
<p>"Witnesses were our mistake when we were here last," Caius shouted out. "You turned our witnesses against us with your trickery and double talk. As I remember, Carlisle, philosophical debate was always your strength."</p>
<p>"There was no trickery there," Carlisle challenged back." We presented you with the truth."</p>
<p>"I am beginning to suspect, Carlisle;" Caius snidely spoke back, "that you and the truth are often strangers."</p>
<p>There was a brief stir in the Olympic/Denali Covens in response to the venom in Caius' words. Carlisle took a moment to cool things down from the heat of this exchange.</p>
<p>"What have you come here for," Carlisle questioned Aro directly.</p>
<p>"We have come to sort things out between us old friend," Aro responded in a sickening sweet tone. "If I had a beating heart it would be broken over this estrangement that has come between us."</p>
<p>"There is no estrangement between us," Carlisle announced succinctly. "Any rumor to the contrary is a lie. You have my word on that."</p>
<p>"And yet you continue to maintain this defensive barrier. I ask you old friend, how am I to trust you when there is always this hostility between us?"</p>
<p>"Your trust issues are not my concern," Carlisle answered back in a tired tone of voice.</p>
<p>"Unfortunately, my friend, trust is very much a concern of mind. If I am to maintain the respect of the vampire community as a whole, I must take action as a warning to any coven that may be thinking of usurping our control."</p>
<p>"Your control," Carlisle asked in a stunned voice. "And just who endowed you with this authority?"</p>
<p>"You see," Aro responded with a hint of laughter in his voice, "there it is. Rebellion! Defiance! What choices are you giving me here?"</p>
<p>Caius was openly giddy over this turn in the conversation.</p>
<p>"I beg you old friend," Aro continued. "Do not make this harder than it has to be. Reach out to me for forgiveness and you may find in me a merciful being."</p>
<p>Carlisle took a short time to ponder Aro's last remark before responding.</p>
<p>"And what mercy can I expect from you, Aro?"</p>
<p>Aro extended his hands palm up.</p>
<p>"All you need do is, instruct lovely Bella to lower her shield, and I promise you I will spare your family."</p>
<p>"And what of Carlisle," Esme demanded.</p>
<p>"I cannot harm my old friend once he proves to me the sincerity of his claim of non-belligerence," Aro answered coolly.</p>
<p>Carlisle was hesitant to respond to this offer.</p>
<p>"No Carlisle," Bella yelled out. "Lowering my shield would put us at their mercy."</p>
<p>"And mercy is what you'll get," Aro countered in a pleasing tone. "Surely you can see Carlisle that I need not stoop to deception to overpower you."</p>
<p>Aro extended his hands out, to either side, to draw attention to his coven behind him.</p>
<p>"Placing your safety into our hands is the ultimate demonstration of your altruism."</p>
<p>"That's not going to happen," Bella responded defiantly.</p>
<p>The Olympic/Denali Covens instantly hardened their stance as they closed ranks toward Carlisle. The growl of the wolves also increased in volume as they too moved closer to either end of their line. Aro took this all in with a smile. Caius was all but salivating at the sight of this. The line of the Volturi guards began to show signs that they were itching for a fight, as well. Aro calmed his coven with a raise of his hand, and a few words.</p>
<p>"Peace my brothers, there is no need to be pugilistic about this."</p>
<p>Aro, then, turned his attention back to the Olympic/Denali Covens.</p>
<p>"Dear ones, you know me. You know this is not how I want this to go. I have offered several of you a place within my coven, and you are still welcome to join us. Dear sweet Bella, you have only just begun your existence as an immortal. I would be happy to welcome you among our number. All you need do is relax. Let go and let this happen. It brings me no joy to do injury to anyone unnecessarily. Please spare me the sadness of seeing you harmed."</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Even as Aro continued to talk a thought began to develop in Edward's mind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>            Let go? Let go, that's what Renee said. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For a reason that he did not immediately understand, Edward recalled the event when Charlie misplaced his keys. He remembered how Renee helped him to find it by clearing his mind and separating his thoughts from his body. He also recalled the time when Jasper told him:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>            <em>I think you're trying too hard. </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Suddenly Edward had a thought:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Is this the key to manipulating this ability? Maybe all I need to do is to stop trying so hard. Maybe projecting my thoughts and operating my physical person is conflicting with one another. Maybe I can control it if I detach my conscious mind from my physical person. Can it be that simple? I have to try. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Edward closed his eyes and gradually began the process of distancing his awareness from the physical world around him. He recalled the instructions from Renee:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>-now relax, let your mind go blank. Take deep breathes. Feel the muscles in your feet relaxing. Feel it rising up your legs, up your torso. Feel it in your arms, your chest, in your neck. Feel the stress, just, melt away. Now separate your mind from body. Your mind is just floating in a void, disconnected from all the stress and strains of your body. You're just floating, floating, floating. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was working and to Edward's surprise it was working surprisingly well. The audible sound of the voices around him began to slow down and stretch out into a soft slur. The voices then fell away into a deep cave in the back of his mind, until he could no longer hear them, at all. To his astonishment he was not in the least bit concerned about this. The thoughts from the large collection of minds about him were ringing in his head with the clarity of a large bell. The whispers of dozens of thoughts in the distance were suddenly a collection of minds boiling about in his head. For the first time in his experience as a mind reader, it felt as if he were experiencing these thoughts and not just hearing them. He was fully aware of what was going on around him without the use of any portion of his auditory or visual senses. It felt to him as if several minutes transpired as he effected this transformation. In actuality, the process was completed within a few seconds.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>"Then go and leave us in peace dear friend," Bella spoke back snidely.</p>
<p>"If only I could," Aro mournfully countered. "But that's just not an option."</p>
<p>The growl from the wolves momentarily spiked in response to Aro's reply. The Volturi Guard fidgeted in their tracks in turn. After a brief pause, Aro continued speaking directly to Carlisle.</p>
<p>"You are tying my hands here old friend."</p>
<p>"Do not call me your friend, Aro," Carlisle proudly insisted. "A friend does come to a friend's home and threaten harm to his family. You have no witnesses here. Own up to the monster that you are."</p>
<p>"Me, a monster, I think not," Aro responded in a surprised tone. "I may not have brought any witnesses, but there is one among my number who I am sure can attest to the truth behind my motivations."</p>
<p>Aro turned back to face the left flank of his coven and gestured with his hand towards one of their number.</p>
<p>"Come forward friend and testify to the benevolence of my cause."</p>
<p>Moving forward from the second row of Volturi was a tall male. He walked out in front of the first row of Guards and positioned himself not far off from Aro's left. The entire Olympic/Denali Covens recognized him instantly. For Edward, he was no surprise. He had touched upon his mind long before he saw any of the Volturi with his eyes.</p>
<p>"Speak friend, maybe you can convince them of my good intentions. It is obvious that I have failed in this task."</p>
<p>"The Volturi is a kind and benevolent coven of vampires who wish only to do what is fair and right for us all," Benjamin spoke sternly. "They are the guardians of the peace and security of our kind."</p>
<p>"You've poisoned him," Carlisle angrily protested.</p>
<p>Aro was not pleased with this outburst and made it known to Carlisle with a cold stare.</p>
<p>"Don't look at me like that, Aro," Carlisle broadcasted with defiance. "You have condemned me to death and yet you expect me to keep your secret."</p>
<p>"He lies!" Caius shouted back.</p>
<p>Carlisle turned his attention to the Volturi Coven as a whole and shouted out for them all to hear.</p>
<p>"You're all puppets. You've been poisoned and lied to. These thoughts that you think are your own are simply delusions fed to you by your masters."</p>
<p>Carlisle indicated to Aro, Caius and Marcus with a wave of his hand.</p>
<p>"Blood rituals are a deception they use to mold you into their obedient minions."</p>
<p>Carlisle's outburst had no perceptible effect on the Volturi Coven. An angry Aro took comfort in this and quickly switched his scowl into a smile.</p>
<p>"Carlisle, Carlisle, Carlisle," Aro spoke pleadingly for effect. "You wound me deeply. What has happened to you that you can sling such lies and disparages at me?"</p>
<p>"You and I know who the liar is here, Aro," Carlisle hissed.</p>
<p>Aro slowly shook his head in feigned disapproval as he laid his hands upon his chest.</p>
<p>"It saddens me so to hear this."</p>
<p>"Benjamin," Esme called out apprehensively. "Where is your coven? Where are Annun, Kebi and Tia?"</p>
<p>"I have renounced my allegiance to the Egyptian Coven," Benjamin declared strongly. "The Volturi is my coven now."</p>
<p>"Benjamin," Esme pleaded, "you know we have never conspired against the Volturi."</p>
<p>"I only knew what you wanted me to know. Now I know the truth," Benjamin argued back.</p>
<p>Esme backed away with a shocked expression on her face. Even as she did, Carlisle stepped forward.</p>
<p>"Benjamin, listen to yourself," Carlisle pleaded. "You've been drinking their blood, and it's poisoned your mind. Drinking another vampire's blood makes you want to do whatever they tell you to do. It makes you want to believe whatever they tell you to believe."</p>
<p>"Liar," Benjamin roared defensively.</p>
<p>No sooner had Benjamin spoken this last word did the wind within the clearing begin to pick up strength and swirl about them. Aro began to smile with an increased air of confidence. Caius was nearly grinning with excitement, but Marcus took it all in with his usual air of indifference. All but one, within the Olympic/Denali Covens, were searching about at the growing windstorm racing around them. Edward was the only exception within their group. His stance remained calm and unchanged and his eyes remained closed. The wind continued to grow in momentum picking up grass and leaves and mixing them about as if they were ingredients in a soup. A few seconds later the debris became more substantial. Sticks and rocks were suddenly being hoisted into the air as if an invisible hand made of air and wind had taken possession of them. More important than the windswept debris, to Bella, was Alec's sensory anesthetizing invisible haze that was probing about her shield. Jane's nagging pain attacks were also trying desperately to get through to Carlisle. Determined not to let them in Bella dismissed Benjamin's atmospheric display with only brief glances to her left and right. Several seconds into this air show a rock, a little larger than her fist, flew directly for her head at a high rate of speed. Bella quickly ducked the assault. An instant later the limb from a tree slammed into her. Bella easily knocked it away, breaking it into two pieces, but the distraction was still enough to cause her to drop her shield. Carlisle suddenly doubled over in pain.</p>
<p>"Carlisle," Esme called out as she raced to his aid.</p>
<p>As soon as she reached his side, Esme doubled over in pain, as well. An evil smirk spread across Jane's face. Simultaneously, at the right end of the Olympic/Denali line five of the shape-shifting wolves suddenly began to whimper softly as they stumbled in their tracks with their heads slumped. One by one, they quietly folded up onto the ground with their heads laying flat upon it as Alec's sensory anesthetizing haze washed in, leaving all beneath it deaf, blind and without any tactile sensation. A smile of self satisfaction spread upon Alec's face as he gazed upon his work.</p>
<p>Bella quickly reestablished her composure before a sixth wolf could be so effected. Carlisle and Esme returned to their feet as did the wolves. Eleazar quickly raced to Bella's side to fend off the flying debris.</p>
<p>"I seem to recall your shield is no defense against physical assaults," Aro hollered across to Bella.</p>
<p>The wind was making soft speech hard to hear.</p>
<p>"You should have accepted my offer dear Bella. It's not too late. Surely you see you cannot protect your friends. It is time that you thought of yourself."</p>
<p>"You go to hell, Aro," Bella yelled back over the whirr of the wind.</p>
<p>"Such a waste," Aro nodded as he spoke.</p>
<p>After a pause, he turned his attention toward Alice.</p>
<p>"Alice, surely you can see how inevitable this all is. Let me give you the safety and security of my coven."</p>
<p>"You forget, Aro, this is my family," Alice responded in defiance.</p>
<p>"This is such a pity," Aro whimpered out in feigned sadness.</p>
<p>Caius edged forward in anticipation of an end game to this encounter. The Volturi guard followed his lead and leaned forward across a seemingly invisible line.</p>
<p>"You see my friends," Aro spoke up in a sinister tone that was poorly disguised behind flowery vocalizations. "This was always going to end in my favor, but it pains me that you have forced me to take these measures."</p>
<p>Aro took a pause that suggested he was contemplating some new thought before continuing where he left off.</p>
<p>"I fear I must assess a penalty for this."</p>
<p>A few seconds later a powerful whirlwind as tall and round as a large oak tree touched down between the two lines directly in front of Bella. The wind within the clearing increased nearly tenfold. Conversation between the two lines of vampires was instantly rendered impossible because of the roar of the wind. Almost immediately after the whirlwind touched the ground it began to move toward Bella at the speed of a slow walk and then suddenly, and much to the surprise of everyone, the wind died down. The clearing settled into an instant calm as if an invisible force had sucked it all back up into the sky. Aro quickly turned to look upon Benjamin. The entire Volturi Coven followed his lead. Within that same instant, Benjamin stumbled backwards in what looked to be a drunken stupor before dropping down on both knees. His hands caught the ground and prevented him from falling prostrate upon it. After a brief moment, he raised his right hand to his head.</p>
<p>"What's wrong," Aro queried in a demanding tone?</p>
<p>Benjamin showed no sign that he heard the question.</p>
<p>"What is it," Aro questioned again in a more insistent tone?</p>
<p>Benjamin began to shake his head in bewilderment.</p>
<p>"Get up!" An angry Aro commanded.</p>
<p>With some effort, Benjamin got back on his feet and then fell backwards onto the ground. Infuriated by this Aro began panning back and forth among his coven for an answer for what was happening, but he saw nothing in their faces to explain this. All eyes of the Volturi Coven were locked on Benjamin with puzzled expressions fixed across their faces. In his haste to absorb this Aro narrowly missed a sight that grazed the corner of his vision. Catching himself in mid pan Aro snapped his attention across the field. His coven, minus Benjamin, followed his lead.</p>
<p>Unlike the Volturi, no one across the way from them was looking at Benjamin. All eyes there were on Edward. Even the wolves were locked in a stare upon him. Aro was momentarily stunned by this sight, as were all within the Volturi Coven. Shortly Aro composed himself just enough to ask a question with a hint of fear in his voice.</p>
<p>"What are you doing?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. The End Game</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Edward felt as if the world was moving in slow motion. That, plus the serenity of his present state of mind, nearly made him forget about the dire situation unfolding just outside his person. Shortly he nudged his awareness to the surface world that slowly swirled about the perimeter of his consciousness. The hypnotic kaleidoscope of sensations, feelings and thoughts that were dancing there quickly formed into an overall picture of what was transpiring about him. He could hear the thoughts of Aro, Caius, Marcus and the rest of the Volturi clearer than ever before. By exploring these minds, he easily followed all that was happening about him.</p>
<p>It was instantly obvious to Edward that the Volturi were on a mission of pillage and destroy. Despite Marcus' indifference towards the proceedings, his thoughts betrayed a vampire who had no doubt as to where Aro's performance was leading, and Caius' thoughts were even more informative. Caius was impatient for the carnage to come, but he knew that Aro was loathed to launch an attack on mass for fear of losing Alice in the melee. Caius cared nothing for the little vampire soothsayer and would gladly rip her head off himself, but his was a minority vote. This was a situation that rankled him mightily. Marcus' inclination to go along with Aro's scheming was a thorn that pricked him on far too many occasions by his estimation.</p>
<p>Suddenly all thoughts turned to Benjamin. Edward noted that Benjamin's thoughts were hostile towards Carlisle and family. He was at first confused by this. He had sampled Benjamin's mind in the past and found his sentiments towards them to be sympathetic. The mind that he was reading now was angry at them for reasons that Benjamin himself could not adequately explain. It felt as if a fabricated predisposition to hate all Cullens had been buried deep inside his subconscious. Edward shortly perceived from Carlisle's thoughts that Benjamin's mind had been poisoned with these feelings.</p>
<p>A brief time later Edward noted that Benjamin's thoughts switched from Carlisle to Bella. His thinking was violent, and Bella was the target. It was then that he noted that Benjamin's mind had expanded beyond his person and intertwined with the atmosphere about him. Sharing this experience with him produced a rush of exhilaration. Edward was momentarily overwhelmed by this interaction between Benjamin's mind and the universe around him. He had no idea how, or if, this activity was manifesting itself in the real world. The swirl of sensations coming from Benjamin's mind was at that moment all the excitement that he needed. So mesmerized was he by them that he nearly missed Benjamin's attack on Bella.</p>
<p>Eleazar's sudden reaction to a projectile flying towards Bella was the first indicator for Edward that Benjamin was attempting to do her harm. He quickly sobered his thoughts to the events going on around him. His mind processed concern, fear and panic from those that he loved and cared for and unbridled enmity from those who would do them harm.</p>
<p>Edward easily detected the force of will inside Benjamin's thoughts that was directing this attack on Bella. His response was a reflex action. With a sudden and powerful projection of his thoughts, Edward challenged Benjamin for possession of his brain. Within that same instant, Benjamin's consciousness nearly stalled out of existence.</p>
<p>Edward had no direct perspective of what was happening to Benjamin after that. The intellect that he had been experiencing was suddenly gone. Only the hint of a mind was left in its place, absent of any direction or control. Shortly this faint remnant of a thinking brain began to grow in strength and blossom into something less and less diffused.</p>
<p>From his read on the other minds about him, Edward understood that he had incapacitated Benjamin. As astonishing as this development was, what surprised him more was how natural the act felt to him. After what felt to be several minutes to Edward; a few seconds in reality, he noted that Benjamin's thinking had improved enough for him to direct his body to stand up on his feet. It was at this moment that Edward decided to test the dependability of this newfound talent. He forced his mind onto Benjamin's to the extent that sober thinking was untenable. From Edward's perspective, it felt as if a massive stupor bomb exploded inside Benjamin's head. An instant after that Benjamin's mind crumpled in upon its self for a second time and nearly winked out once again. Third party minds confirmed for Edward that Benjamin had fallen back to the ground.</p>
<p>Edward instantly became imbued with confidence from this. Somehow he knew that he could do this again, and again, with ease. He needed to share this news. He needed his family and friends to know that they were safe, that he could and would protect them. Instinctively, and without deliberation, Edward puffed out a thought into the minds of a select group that he subconsciously partitioned specifically for this communication.</p>
<p>
  <em>I did it. </em>
</p>
<p>An instant later the thoughts from all within this partition came back to him in a torrent. The size of this onslaught seemed to have no effect on his ability to manage the data. Instinctively he merged their thoughts into a single consciousness and responded to their queries as a single thought that they all perceived.</p>
<p>
  <em>It's me, Edward. I'm in their heads. I'm in all their heads. </em>
</p>
<p>The questions from his family, the Denali Coven, and even the wolves continued to pour into Edward's mind like uncontrollable, random thoughts. Only Bella's thoughts were excluded in this conversation. This came as no surprise to Edward. He expected Bella's shield to lock him out from her mind. Edward's partitioned link with the others made it easy enough for him to distribute everyone's thoughts with everyone else. He did this across what was effectively a private party line.</p>
<p>
  <em>Yes, I did that. </em>
</p>
<p>Edward answered the half dozen queries about Benjamin's sudden collapse.</p>
<p>
  <em>No, they don't hear any of this. </em>
</p>
<p>Edward answered Carlisle's query: <em>"Do the Volturi hear you too?"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Yes, I can do the same thing to all of the Volturi who are not shielded from me. </em>
</p>
<p>Edward answered Emmett's inquiry.</p>
<p>
  <em>I think I can do it to them all at once. </em>
</p>
<p>Edward answered Jasper's inquiry regarding the effective speed of this ability.</p>
<p>
  <em>The same way that I am communicating with all of you at once...</em>
</p>
<p>Edward answered Esme's question regarding how he could affect them all at once.</p>
<p>Bella was the only member of Edward's family and friends who was not peppering him with questions, despite the inquiring look on her face. Bella quickly became cognizant that Benjamin's condition was Edward's doing and that her family and friends were receiving thoughts from him. She contented herself to observing the others while she kept her defenses up.</p>
<p>Suddenly Edward felt the attention of the Volturi on him. Instinctively he called out in his mind.</p>
<p>
  <em>Carlisle! </em>
</p>
<p>This was not necessary. Everyone that Edward was sharing his thoughts with, were experiencing all that he perceived.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Carlisle was shocked by the wave of thoughts, sensations and images that were pouring into his head through this new splinter consciousness that was suddenly sharing his mind. So fixated was he to this and to the source, Edward, that he forgot about the Volturi standing across the clearing. After a few seconds into this deluge in real time, seemingly a minute by his perception, Carlisle was alerted, via Edward's telepathy, to a sudden focus of Volturi attention upon him and his family. This intrusion into his revelry refocused his mind on his other senses. Aro's query that followed an instant behind was subsequently not a surprise.</p>
<p>Almost in unison, Carlisle and family, the Denali Coven and the wolves calmly turned their attentions and their eyes onto Aro. The collective deployment of their attentions generated a shudder of apprehension throughout the Volturi lines. After a brief pause, Carlisle formulated an answer to Aro's question.</p>
<p>"We are doing what we must to survive," Carlisle responded calmly.</p>
<p>Aro's air of confidence suddenly transitioned into a more tentative demeanor. The new look of calm on the faces of the Olympic and Denali Covens had much to do with this, but the increased tenor of the growls from the wolves and their slow advance a few steps were by far the most unnerving new development for him. He was suddenly at a loss for words to respond to Carlisle's remark and took two steps back instead.</p>
<p>Caius' demeanor was very much the opposite of Aro's. He found this new disposition of Carlisle, family and friends infuriating. Stepping ahead of Aro he scanned the two covens and the wolves with an angry look of defiance. Felix and four other large vampires, two to either side, followed Caius' example, moved forward toward the Cullens and friends and growled back with disdain.</p>
<p>"Tricks and witchery are not going to save you this time Carlisle," Caius fumed.</p>
<p>Caius was in no humor to back away from this fight, not that he had any particular interest in the Cullens. It was simply a matter of pride for him. His need to subjugate others would not allow him to leave the Cullens intact for a second time.</p>
<p>Caius knew Aro was now having second thoughts about this engagement and that Marcus would likely follow his lead. An overwhelming desire to prevent this from happening pushed him to take the lead in this encounter. With a turn of his head, Caius effectively gave permission to Felix to improvise a new attack.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Aro understood that the Olympic and Denali covens would defend Bella so that she could keep Jane's and Alec's powers in check. The plan he anticipated using to counter this called for Benjamin to encumber Bella long enough for Alec to neutralize everyone else ahead of any actual fighting. Bella was then to be physically engaged and quickly eliminated so that her shield could not be reformed. The rest of the Olympic and Denali Covens, along with their shape-shifting allies, would then be accessible to Jane and Alec and at his mercy. The objective behind this plan was to capture Alice alive; all others were expendable. This plan was suddenly made unworkable because of Benjamin's mysterious affliction leaving the Volturi with no other option but to overpower the Olympic and Denali Covens by strength of numbers.</p>
<p>Prior to this meeting, Aro feared such a melee might cost him Alice as a prize. Now he had reason to question if his coven would prevail in a fight with the Cullens. Improvising an assault against the unknown was something that Aro preferred never to do.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>At the moment Caius made eye contact with Felix, the six-foot-seven vampire suddenly stumbled to the ground along with the four vampires standing two to either side of him. Caius was instantly enraged by the sight of this and glared suspiciously across the way at Edward. Aro too was shocked by this and took a further step back. Marcus' demeanor was no longer indifferent. His attitude toward the Cullens and friends appeared to be only mildly suspicious. The rest of the Volturi now shared Aro's view of these events and retreated a half a step out of fear that they might be next. Even the smug expressions of Jane and Alec had suddenly been replaced by looks of bewilderment and fear.</p>
<p>"It would appear that we have misjudged you, old friend," Aro fumbled out the words while feigning a smile. "Obviously, if you had meant to do us harm you could have done so without the use of deception."</p>
<p>"As I said, old friend, from the beginning," Carlisle politely responded in turn. "You were never in any danger from us."</p>
<p>"Then we shall leave you in peace," Aro merrily replied.</p>
<p>"The boy," Carlisle quickly yelled back before anyone could move.</p>
<p>"Oh yes, your treaty with the shapeshifters," Aro spoke up in an absentminded tone. "I hope you know that it was always our intention to free him."</p>
<p>Aro then turned his head toward the vampires restraining Seth.</p>
<p>"Release him."</p>
<p>Everyone watched as the vampires unfastened Seth's restraints and removed them. As soon as Seth was free of the snug fitting metal bands he phased into a wolf and growled viciously at his onetime captors. After a brief display of rage, Seth moved into the ranks of the other wolves and exchanged some affectionate nuzzling with Leah.</p>
<p>"Well then, it would appear that our business here is finished," Aro slowly moved away as he spoke.</p>
<p>Caius backed away grudgingly as he continued to display an angry scowl at Edward. Across the way from him and outside of his notice Kate, Tanya and Carmen were doing the same towards him.</p>
<p>Before the Volturi could turn away, Kate hollered out. "Wait!"</p>
<p>The entire Volturi formation instantly came to a halt.</p>
<p>Caius' attention quickly turned into the direction of the three Denali women. Seeing their rage directed at him caused him to refocus his own their way.</p>
<p>"We have unfinished business here," Kate demanded.</p>
<p>Aro was instantly startled by the ferocity behind Kate's words, but he was too fearful of her anger to intercede on Caius' behalf. Marcus only appeared slightly concerned. Caius quickly glanced about him for aid in this encounter. Aro and Marcus stood fast in their place. Caius turned back to look at the three Denali women who were then moving towards him. Caius' rage could not be contained at the sight of this, and he roared in defiance. An instant later a thought came to him to attack and then everything dissolved into a blur.</p>
<p>Tanya and Carmen raced across the clearing and seized Caius by either arm as he began to slump to the ground. Kate led the way and grabbed Caius about his head. Aro was visibly shocked by the speed of the action and by the fact that his long time friend had been subdued without a fight.</p>
<p>"Stop them!" Athenodora yelled out while moving forward from the rear of the Volturi formation to rescue her mate.</p>
<p>The words barely made it out of her mouth when she and the entire Volturi Coven, minus a few, began to wilt to the ground. Aro, Marcus, Sulpicia, Benjamin, Renata, Alec and Jane were spared this effect because they gave no thought to coming to Caius' defense.  Aro, and the members of his company still standing, were astounded by the mass of allies and friends who now lay dazed and disoriented on the ground. Suddenly and swiftly the wolves moved in amongst the Volturi ranks to confront the stumbling collection of vampires face on as they sobered. Aro quickly swiveled his head back and forth to visually check the wolves moving around him.</p>
<p>Several seconds later, Aro turned to look on at the countenance of Carlisle standing straight and still at the head of his coven. He looked to him as if he was orchestrating these events from a podium.</p>
<p>"Carlisle old friend," Aro nearly pleaded. "What is the meaning of this?"</p>
<p>Without responding, Carlisle turned his attention to Caius and his captors. Aro followed his lead. Caius' thinking gradually sobered. He looked back and forth into the faces of Kate, Tanya and Carmen as his head continued to clear. After a brief time, his expression transformed to comprehension and shock. Caius began to struggle against their restraint.</p>
<p>"Let me go!" Caius demanded.</p>
<p>Kate, Tanya and Carmen held him tight until his struggling subsided.</p>
<p>"Caius of the Volturi," Kate spoke with disgust. "We have a task for you. When next you see Irina, give her our love."</p>
<p>Caius spoke his last with a horrifying shriek that was cut short when Kate ripped his head from off his shoulders. Tanya and Carmen followed her lead and immediately began dismembering the body. Following instructions from Jasper and Emmett that were being silently transmitted through Edward, the women of the Denali Coven quickly piled Caius' remains together. They then set them afire, using the small hand held flame thrower that Caius kept tucked away in his clothing. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett quickly gathered kindling and stoked the fire. A look of near terror had taken shape on Aro's face.</p>
<p>"No," Athenodora screamed shortly after coming to her senses. She moved towards the fire until she became checked by its intensity.</p>
<p>"I will see you all pay for this," Athenodora hollered in rage.</p>
<p>Suddenly Kate, Tanya, Carmen, Alice and Rosalie were upon her, shredding her to pieces and tossing her remains into the fire, as well. Aro was visibly rattled by the sight of this as was his guard behind him.</p>
<p>"My dear friends," Aro pleaded. "Caius may have had his faults, but his intentions were always only for the best."</p>
<p>"Caius was a monster," Kate yelled back to Aro, "and he got what he deserved."</p>
<p>Aro was reluctant to contradict Kate's assertion for fear of drawing her wrath.</p>
<p>Carlisle turned his attention to that portion of Volturi Guard being kept in check by the shape-shifting wolves. With a thought, he transmitted a message to them via Edward.</p>
<p><em>Leave, now, and never return to this region. Tell everyone that all here are under our protection</em>.</p>
<p>Alice produced an addendum to this thought and attached it immediately behind.</p>
<p>            <em>We will be watching. </em></p>
<p>The Volturi Guard briefly looked to one another for instructions before setting off at a dead run, one after the other, in the direction from which they came. Felix and Demetri were the last two of the guards to go. Their sense of loyalty to Marcus and Aro was finally overcome by the growls of fifteen massive wolves all about them.</p>
<p>The sight of his guard fleeing, terrified Aro. His fear was beyond his ability to conceal it. Twisting about he watched to see who would stay and how many would leave. A minute later the only Volturi still standing in the clearing were Marcus, Sulpicia, Renata, Benjamin, Alec, Jane and himself. Unburdened by the bulk of the Volturi Guard, the wolves turned in on this group and semi-circled them from behind.</p>
<p>Jasper and Emmett swiftly ran to Aro's side, seized him by either arm and forced him down on his knees. Renata jumped back and away from the assault. She was instantly shocked to see that her shielding failed to divert Aro's assailants. She reflexively looked across the field to ponder how Edward was doing this. She saw nothing in him to answer this question, but Bella's smiling regard quickly filled in the blank.</p>
<p>Benjamin, Alec and Jane, were equally unsettled by Aro's arrest, but were loathed to act in his behalf. Marcus looked on in seemingly calm indifference.</p>
<p>"What is the meaning of this, Carlisle?" Aro questioned in a fearful tone. "You and I go back several centuries."</p>
<p>"Yes, we do," Carlisle answered back as he walked to within arm's distance from him with Esme a step behind and to his side.</p>
<p>"You were once part of this coven," Aro insisted.</p>
<p>"Yes, I was," Carlisle countered again.</p>
<p>"I have counted you among my dearest friends," Aro plaintively made claim.</p>
<p>"And in all this time," Carlisle bitterly responded, "I have never gone to the home of my friend and threatened to do harm to him and those that he cared for."</p>
<p>"I never planned to do you or your family harm," Aro pleaded.</p>
<p>Carlisle took a moment to look back at Edward. Aro followed his gaze. A moment later Carlisle turned his attention back towards Aro.</p>
<p>"You're telling me a lie old friend."</p>
<p>Aro was visibly shaken by this report. In his mind, he began a search for the appropriate words.</p>
<p>"Don't do this, Carlisle," Aro's mate, Sulpicia, called out from behind him. "You have won. We are no threat you, let us go as we came."</p>
<p>Sulpicia's words clearly had an effect on Carlisle. After a long pause, he took two steps back in resignation to Sulpicia's plea.</p>
<p>Suddenly, and as swift as a blur, Esme pushed past Carlisle and grasped Aro by the head.</p>
<p>"No!" Sulpicia screamed an instant too late.</p>
<p>Esme ripped Aro's head off, stifling his scream before he could fully vocalize it and then suddenly all was still. Sulpicia looked on in shock.</p>
<p>Holding Aro's head in her hands, Esme looked into his eyes and offered him a parting explanation for her actions. She spoke the words with all the malice that she could vocalize.</p>
<p>"I will not give you another chance to do harm to my family."</p>
<p>Esme turned and looked to Carlisle for a sign of his support or rebuke. She saw neither. After a pause Esme walked quietly away and tossed Aro's head into the fire. Jasper and Emmett quickly follow her lead by dismembering Aro's remains and feeding them to the flames. Carlisle stepped forward to confront a sullen Sulpicia. She did not meet his gaze.</p>
<p>"Am I next for the flames, Carlisle," Sulpicia asked sullenly.</p>
<p>"You may go, Sulpicia," Carlisle answered back softly, "but I beg of you not to dwell on this."</p>
<p>After a few seconds of deliberation, Sulpicia walked quietly away between the growls emanating from the horse size wolves on either side of her. Shortly she disappeared beneath the tree line. Carlisle watched her walk away before stepping over to confront Marcus.</p>
<p>"Can I count on you, Marcus, to put this all behind you?"</p>
<p>"What does your mind reader say?" Marcus responded calmly.</p>
<p>Carlisle paused for a moment without looking away before speaking again.</p>
<p>"No more blood ceremonies, Marcus. Promise me that."</p>
<p>"Will you trust me to keep it?" Marcus questioned back, complacently.</p>
<p>"I will trust you to try," Carlisle answered in similar fashion.</p>
<p>"Then you have it, Carlisle."</p>
<p>"Very good old friend, it pleases me to know that you will be leaving this place alive."</p>
<p>"And how long will that last? Without the blood ceremonies, I am naked and unarmed. The Volturi has made many enemies."</p>
<p>"I trust you to have made some friends, Marcus," Carlisle quickly countered. "You were never the malicious member of the Volturi."</p>
<p>"Perhaps," Marcus answered with a laugh, "but I am sure I have no friends as loyal as these you have here. You have done well for yourself, Carlisle. You have the perfect shield and the perfect sword," Marcus proffered while looking to Bella and Edward. "I am sure it will be a long time before anyone becomes a threat you."</p>
<p>"I was never a threat to the Volturi," Carlisle replied defensively.</p>
<p>"Oh, but yes you were, Carlisle," Marcus countered politely. "You may have not known it, but I always did. Aro was always fearful of any coven that was potentially more powerful than ours. I, on the other hand, was fearful of the vampire who could command such a coven. It wasn't until recently that I was able to convince Aro that you were that vampire."</p>
<p>"Of the three of you, Marcus, I thought you would have been the least antagonistic towards me," Carlisle pondered out loud.</p>
<p>"You were wrong," Marcus countered in a matter of fact tone. "That honor always belonged to Aro. That is why he let you go. It's your gift. I've always seen it, this ability to inspire others to admire and respect you. I advised Aro to be wary you, but he was blind to this seductive talent of yours."</p>
<p>After a smile and a shake of his head, Marcus continued to confess the truth of their past.</p>
<p>"Aro convinced Caius that you had value and would likely return to the coven some day. I argued that you might return one day with a powerful coven at your back, held together by love."</p>
<p>Marcus paused to give emphasis to his words.</p>
<p>"It is love that's holding this coven of yours together isn't it?" Marcus queried inquisitively.</p>
<p>"This is my family," Carlisle countered gently. "They are free to stay or leave as they please."</p>
<p>"I suspect your counterpart has been a great assistance in the formation of this, <em>family</em>." Marcus stressed the last word. "Esme seems to share your talent for attracting the affections of others. You two are quite the matching pair. I suppose it was inevitable for you to one day meet your mate. I didn't see that one coming," he pondered with a smile.</p>
<p>Marcus hesitated once again to give Esme a glance before continuing.</p>
<p>"I had a bad feeling from the moment I saw you all standing here waiting for us. Any other coven would have scattered and fled rather than confront us. I confess Carlisle I too was fond of you," Marcus admitted solemnly. "The difference between Aro and I was that this affection made me fear you. So you see, Carlisle, mine was the dissenting vote to your leaving. If it had been left up to me, the day you left the Volturi would have been the day you died."</p>
<p>Carlisle and Marcus took a moment to stare at one another for a brief time.</p>
<p>"Am I still free to go, Carlisle?" Marcus asked in a casual voice.</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>Before turning and walking away, Marcus gave Carlisle a hint of a bow. The wolves grumbled and growled as he strode calmly between them.</p>
<p>"You may go, as well," Carlisle called out to Renata, Benjamin, Alec and Jane.</p>
<p>The group of four quickly backed away from the Cullens and friends, slipped deftly between the angry wolves and disappeared into the forest.</p>
<p>
  <em>Are you sure that's a good idea? Alec and Jane could still be a threat to us. </em>
</p>
<p>Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie, queried with their thoughts.</p>
<p>
  <em>Their minds have been poisoned. We don't know the person beneath the conditioning. The poison will dissipate in time. We have to give them a chance. </em>
</p>
<p>Carlisle responded in kind.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Solutions and Resolutions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sudden loud howls from three shapeshifters, in wolfen form, outside the Cullen's home was carried high above the canopy of trees that concealed them. From three separate locations deep within the black of the forest, their distant howls pierced the quiet of the night. Inside the house, Renee was instantly startled by the sound and jumped to her feet. Li'l Phil was asleep in his infant carrier on the sofa. Charlie shortly got up on his feet to comfort her. Renesmee, in turn, stood up from her seat and walked over to the large living-room windows. She studied the black of the forest as the howling repeated again and again.</p>
<p>"What is it?" Renee asked in a nervous tone.</p>
<p>"It's Jacob," Renesmee responded in a pondering tone. Her attention did not deviate from the view out the window.</p>
<p>"What's happening? What's he saying? Is he hurt?" Charlie peppered Renesmee for more information in a slightly desperate voice.</p>
<p>"I don't know, Granddad," Renesmee answered as she continued to listen to Jacob's howl. "But he's not hurt and," she continued to reflect after a pause. "He doesn't sound sad either."</p>
<p>"What does that mean," Renee queried quickly.</p>
<p>"I don't know, Grandma. I don't know."</p>
<p>The room was dark. A single light at the top of the stairs that lead to the family room and a lamp in the vestibule were the only illuminations being generated from inside the house. Lamps outside that illuminated the grounds about the house were also shining light through the windows. The howling from the wolf form shape-shifters outside was the only sound to be heard inside when no one was speaking.</p>
<p>Monitoring the still of the dark had been the bulk of their activity for most of the night. Jacob left the house shortly after the Cullens and company took off for their meeting with the Volturi. He needed to be in his wolf form to monitor the events happening with his pack. The forest was the convenient location for him in this configuration. This also made it possible for him to help Walter and Cody patrol the area around the house.</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee were indifferent to the idea of Jacob leaving the house. Jacob's wolfen alter ego made them feel slightly uneasy around him; Renesmee was far more uneasy because he was gone. She never felt that she could count on Jacob to be prudent in his human form, and her apprehensions were twice as great when he was a wolf. This was further complicated by the fact that Jacob's wolf pack could be going into battle. Renesmee understood enough to know that it aggravated Jacob to be sidelined while the rest of his shapeshifting brothers and sister were engaged in mortal combat. Most of all she feared that Jacob would succumb to the temptation to join the fight without regard for his own safety. She knew all too well how much he wanted to revel in the victory celebration that he expected to come after a hard-fought battle.</p>
<p>The sound of the wolves howling in the distance suddenly changed. The decibel level dropped noticeably. Renesmee was instantly alarmed by this, and Charlie was alarmed by her startled response.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?" Charlie called out to Renesmee.</p>
<p>Listening more intently Renesmee gave a half-hearted answer. "I think he's coming."</p>
<p>"How do you know?" Renee queried with concern.</p>
<p>"One of the wolves," Renesmee broke off to listen a little more. "The one that was howling over there," she continued with a point. "He stopped."</p>
<p>Renesmee raced out of the family room, across the vestibule and out the front door at nearly the speed of a blur. After the initial shock of seeing this, Charlie ran after her. Renee was hesitant at first to follow with Li'l Phil in tow. After a moment of indecision, she gently picked up the infant carrier and hurried towards the front door of the house. She caught up with Charlie and Renesmee on the front porch of the house. Renesmee was looking and listening intently to the forest across the way from her. The howls of the two wolves were still filling the silence of the night.</p>
<p>"What's happening?" Renee asked after a time.</p>
<p>Renesmee did not respond. She continued to look at and listen to the forest. Charlie followed her lead. After a brief time, Renee broke the silence with a nervous remark.</p>
<p>"Oh my, this is going to drive me crazy."</p>
<p>Suddenly Renesmee's demeanor brightened with excitement.</p>
<p>"He's coming!"</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee turned to look at her and then tracked her gaze back to the forest. Shortly Jacob ran out of the forest barefoot with his shirt unbuttoned and billowing behind him. His hands were in the process of managing the clasp at the top of his pants. He hurried across the clearing between the forest and the front of the house and bounded up the stairs to the porch with an excited and happy expression on his face. He came suddenly to a stop directly in front of Renesmee still huffing from the exertion of his run. Renesmee waited quietly for him to speak; Charlie was not as patient.</p>
<p>"What happened?" Charlie demanded abruptly. "How's Bella?"</p>
<p>"Everything is okay," Jacob responded with a smile. "Bella is fine. They're on their way back now. They'll be here soon."</p>
<p>A smile spread across Renesmee's face, and she and Jacob quickly exchanged hugs.</p>
<p>"So, everything is going to be okay?" Renee nervously queried.</p>
<p>While separating from Renesmee Jacob responded, "Yeah, everything is going to be fine."</p>
<p>"What about the Volturi?" Renesmee questioned with concern.</p>
<p>"Your father took care of them," Jacob answered with a big smile. "Your dad is full of surprises."</p>
<p>Renesmee grinned in return, and they hugged once again.</p>
<p>"So, the Volturi are leaving?" Charlie stated in a questioning tone.</p>
<p>Jacob gave Charlie a big grin before answering. "Most of them are."</p>
<p>"Most of them; what does that mean?"</p>
<p>Jacob continued to grin at Charlie briefly before answering coyly. "A few of them will be making roots here."</p>
<p>Jacob could not stop himself from laughing after that.</p>
<p>Caught up in Jacob's cheerful spirit, Renesmee queried him with a grin, "What happened?"</p>
<p>"I don't think I should say. The Cullens will be here soon. I think they should be the ones to tell you."</p>
<p>Charlie gave Jacob a suspicious look and Renee gave him a questioning one. Jacob looked back at them mischievously and contained his laughter behind a large grin. A few seconds later the howling in the background stopped. Charlie and Renee instantly took note of this and began scanning the forest edge. Jacob and Renesmee showed little interest in the sudden silence.</p>
<p>"They're getting close," Jacob responded to their concerns.</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee kept their attentions fixed to the black of the forest across the way from them; Jacob and Renesmee followed their look with less intensity. Their hearing and sense of smell was far more informative than their visual acuity at the time. Nearly a minute passed in silence before Charlie and Renee got their first sight of movement. A slight gasp escaped from Renee when she saw the first pair of yellow eyes looking back at her from within the darkness of the forest. Shortly a second pair, followed by a third, a sixth, a twelfth and a fifteenth pair of yellow eyes in a line ten yards deep into the forest edge could be seen. Coinciding with this appearance was a chorus of heavy breathing. Renee nudged a little closer to Charlie. Slowly the wolves broke the perimeter of the forest's edge and extended their heads into the light beyond it. Renee caught her breath at the sight of them and nudged still closer to Charlie while partially shielding Li'l Phil behind her. Charlie, in turn, secured her with an arm around her shoulder. He was nearly as astonished as she by the number and size of the wolves across from him. Jacob was greatly amused by their startled expression.</p>
<p>"Relax guys, this is my pack," Jacob cheerful assured.</p>
<p>Charlie and Renee accepted this assurance with an affirmative nod and continued to look on in amazed silence. Renesmee casually scanned the line of wolves for a brief time before her expression brightened with a large smile. An instant later she ran down the stairs and toward one of the wolves in the line, much to the shock of Renee and Charlie. Jacob followed her at a walk to the bottom of the steps.</p>
<p>"Seth," Renesmee called out as she approached the six-foot-tall wolf.</p>
<p>Seth responded to the call by stepping forward from the line and by nuzzling into Renesmee's embrace.</p>
<p>"Are you alright? I was so worried."</p>
<p>Seth playful responded to her caresses with gentle rubbing and nudging. Charlie and Renee took this all in with surprised expressions on their faces.</p>
<p>Nearly a minute passed before Renee's nerves forced her to ask Jacob the question that was most on her mind.</p>
<p>"Why are they here?"</p>
<p>"Carlisle asked them to come," Jacob casually answered. "I think he has something to tell us."</p>
<p>"Tell us what?" Charlie asked quickly.</p>
<p>"Beats me," Jacob countered with a shake of his head. "You can ask him yourself." Jacob directed Charlie's attention to the forest edge with a turn of his head.</p>
<p>Charlie followed his lead but saw nothing but the black of the forest interior. Fifteen seconds later Carlisle stepped out from the beneath the forest canopy. Despite his attention to the area, Charlie was still alarmed by the speed of his appearance. There was no movement or sound from further back to give any indication of his imminent appearance. There was no indication in his demeanor that he had exerted himself at any time during his approach. For Charlie, it was as if he appeared from out of nowhere like a ghostly apparition. This was a side of Doctor Cullen that he had never seen before. A shudder shot through him, so unnerved was he by this event. Suddenly Esme appeared three strides behind followed by Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice, Edward and then Bella. All were equally spaced behind one to the other, and all appeared like graceful apparitions.</p>
<p>The wolf pack was unperturbed by this sudden manifestation. As the Cullens glided between them, the wolves barely noted them with a roll of their eyes in their direction. The Cullens fanned out onto the driveway between the house and the forest, coming to a stop and forming a line one beside the other directly in front of Renee and Charlie. Standing to Carlisle's right were Jasper, Alice, Emmett and Rosalie, and standing to Esme's left was Edward and Bella. Renesmee moved to a position directly in front of her parents.</p>
<p>The beauty and precision of this procession held Renee and Charlie frozen in amazement for a full ten seconds. Charlie was first to brush away his astonishment. He then focused his attention on what mattered to him most, Bella. She acknowledged this look with a smile but held her position. For some reason, Charlie felt obliged to do the same.</p>
<p>"The Volturi are leaving, it's now safe for you to return to your homes, your lives and your families." Carlisle spoke up for the company around him, turning time again to the left and right to acknowledge the presence of the wolves. "We are sorry for the disruption and harm that we have brought into your lives. We need you to know that we have fond feelings for all of you and that we will cherish the time we spent here always."</p>
<p>"Wait," Charlie quickly jumped in while racing to the bottom of the stairs. "You're not leaving?" Charlie questioned.</p>
<p>Carlisle was hesitant to answer. Bella elected to do so for him.</p>
<p>"It's time, Dad."</p>
<p>Charlie turned to look into the eyes of his daughter with a shocked expression. A concerned Renee descended the stairs to stand by his side. It did not take Charlie long to discern from Bella's expression that she was fully committed to this decision and to the vampire standing beside her. His immediate suspicion was that the influence of the Cullens was the culprit behind this mindset and his instinct was to attack the logic of this decision.</p>
<p>"You come here and create all kinds of havoc within the community," Charlie lashed at Carlisle in an incredulous tone. "There are now," Charlie struggled to find the words, "swarms of vampires crawling all over the county and now you want to leave."</p>
<p>"The vampires will be leaving the Olympic Peninsula," Carlisle calmly responded.</p>
<p>"And how do you know that?" Charlie challenged.</p>
<p>"We have sent word out that the Olympic Peninsula is a protected territory," Carlisle continued to respond calmly.</p>
<p>“You’ve already tried that,” Charlie blasted at Carlisle with incredulity. "What makes you so sure that they'll listen to you now?"</p>
<p>Carlisle hesitated to respond to this. An eager Jacob jumped at the opportunity to fill the silence.</p>
<p>"Charlie," Jacob called out in a giddy voice.</p>
<p>Charlie looked back to Jacob to hear what he had to say.</p>
<p>"I think they’ll listen this time," Jacob explained behind a barely contained grin.</p>
<p>It took Charlie a few seconds to fathom the meaning behind Jacob’s words. He then quickly turned his attention back to the Cullens and pondered this for a moment while he studied the vampires in front of him.</p>
<p>"So then there is no need for you to leave," he stated definitively.</p>
<p>"We've been here too long," Carlisle countered softly. "Soon the community will be asking questions about us. They'll begin to wonder why we don't seem to age."</p>
<p>"Let them wonder," Charlie grumbled angrily. "I'm not letting you take my daughter."</p>
<p>An instant later Bella streaked from her position to a foot distance away from her parents. Charlie and Renee suddenly caught their breath in shock.</p>
<p>"Mom, Dad, it’s time," Bella explained softly.</p>
<p>Charlie was lost for words. He looked into her eyes with a pleading expression. Bella responded with a touch of her hand on his chest.</p>
<p>"Will I see you again?" Charlie queried reluctantly.</p>
<p>            "Yes," Bella answered jubilantly. “We’ll be around. We just need the community to believe that we’re not here.”</p>
<p>“Around?” Charlie questioned back for an explanation.</p>
<p>“We need to give Forks time to forget about us,” Carlisle answered gently.</p>
<p>“But where will you be?” Renee queried with concern.</p>
<p>“On the far side of the boundary of human perception,” Bella responded with a grin.</p>
<p>Renee was a little frightened by that answer and let it show upon her face.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry mom,” Bella quickly qualified with a laugh. “You’re not getting rid of me that easy. We’re just taking a vacation from, human, existence. Speaking of which, Dad, I need you to do a favor for me. I need you to look after Nessie."</p>
<p>Charlie was surprised by this request.</p>
<p>"You're leaving her here?" Renee queried in a stunned tone of voice.</p>
<p>"She's a growing girl, and she's half human. I want her to have human experiences, and I want her to know her grandparents." Bella whispered with a smile.</p>
<p>After a brief deliberation Charlie accepted Bella's request as collateral to secure her return.</p>
<p>"Okay."</p>
<p>Charlie and Bella took a moment to exchange sad and happy stares, respectively.</p>
<p>“When will we see you again?" Charlie momentarily questioned.</p>
<p>"Well, Edward and I have a honeymoon to finish and probably won’t be around for a month or maybe two," Bella pondered out with a grin.</p>
<p>Bella's answer generated a few chuckles among the Cullens.</p>
<p>“But there will always be someone in the vicinity if you should need one of us,” Bella continued with a smile. “Just give Jacob or Sam a call. They shouldn’t have any trouble running us down.”</p>
<p>“A phone number would be nice,” Renee whispered timidly.</p>
<p>Bella gave the request a laugh before responding to it with a large smile across her face.</p>
<p>“We need to drop out of the system for a little while.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Renee exhaled with a surprised expression.</p>
<p>Bella took a moment to enjoy her mother’s bewildered look before speaking again.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry mom, I’m not going to disappear, and," Bella continued with a sly smile, “if you’re anywhere near dad and Nessie, you’ll be see me frequently.”</p>
<p>Renee took a quick, uncomfortable glance at Charlie and then stared back at Bella with a startled one.</p>
<p>Bella contained a grin behind a large smile, as she took a few seconds to savor her mother's expression.</p>
<p>"We've set into motion some arrangements that you will find in the office upstairs," Carlisle shortly spoke up to break the silence.</p>
<p>Esme quickly followed his lead, "We know we can never undo the pain and the loss of losing your husband, Renee."</p>
<p>"We will be forever repentant over that," Carlisle continued in turn.</p>
<p>"We would like you to have the house, Renee," Esme entreated quickly. "You can sell it; live in it, whatever you want. We just want to do something for you and Li'l Phil."</p>
<p>Taken by surprise by this, Renee froze for a moment as she looked for the words to respond.</p>
<p>"You can't afford to give away your house."</p>
<p>"Yes, we can mom," Bella quickly answered back.</p>
<p>"We've made other arrangements as well," Carlisle continued, while panning about him, to acknowledge all who were there. "It's all in the office upstairs. We hope you all will make use of it."</p>
<p>Carlisle directed his attention at Charlie as he spoke the last part of his statement.</p>
<p>Charlie made no outward acknowledgement that he heard or would avail himself of anything the Cullens may have put in place for him. Inside himself, however, he knew he would not discard anything that his daughter wished for him to have.</p>
<p>After a short pause, Carlisle and family turned to face the wolf form shapeshifters lined along the edge of the forest.</p>
<p>"We would like to extend our gratitude to the Quileute tribe and to you, their guardians, for allowing us to share this land, this home and this community with you. You have been the truest friend and ally anyone could ask for. Should you ever need us it will be our honor to reciprocate, in kind."</p>
<p>A brief telepathic exchange of goodbyes transpired between the shapeshifters, Edward and his coven, before the wolves turned away and disappeared into the black of the forest.</p>
<p>The Cullens turned their attentions around to Renee and Charlie.</p>
<p>"Chief Swan, Renee, we wish you well," Carlisle spoke up after a brief pause.</p>
<p>Renesmee walked over to Esme in response to her lamenting stare.</p>
<p>Esme quickly reached out to Renesmee and collected her into her arms.</p>
<p>"You take care of yourself," Esme requested with a hug and a smile.</p>
<p>"Will you be going far away?" Renesmee questioned tearfully.</p>
<p>"No," Esme quickly assured in a soothing tone. "We can't go too far. Every time we blink you grow an inch. "</p>
<p>Renesmee squeezed into Esme's hug for a few seconds more before letting go. Carlisle reached out for her as soon as she did and took her into his embrace.</p>
<p>"You be well little one."</p>
<p>"Okay," Renesmee tearfully answered back.</p>
<p>Carlisle held on to Renesmee for a few seconds more before backing away. He and Esme then turned away and streaked into the forest, one after the other. The instant they did Alice quickly stepped over to give Renesmee a hug with Jasper following behind.</p>
<p>"Bye Nessie," Alice spoke up with a large smile and a big hug.</p>
<p>"Bye auntie Alice," Renesmee responded in kind.</p>
<p>Alice backed away, and Renesmee quickly stepped into Jasper's tentative embrace.</p>
<p>"Goodbye Uncle Jasper," Renesmee spoke up playfully.</p>
<p>"Goodbye Nessie," Jasper countered with a smile. "You take care."</p>
<p>"Okay," Renesmee assured shyly.</p>
<p>Jasper and Renesmee separated. After a brief wave and smile, Alice and Jasper streaked off into the forest one behind the other.</p>
<p>"Come here."</p>
<p>No sooner had Alice and Jasper left did Emmett step over, snatch Renesmee up into a bear hug and twirl her around.</p>
<p>"You be good little miss problem child," Emmett bellowed with a laugh.</p>
<p>"I will Uncle Emmett," Renesmee answered back with a big smile.</p>
<p>Emmett shortly set Renesmee down and backed away from her. As soon as he did, Rosalie slowly stepped over and took her into a loving embrace.</p>
<p>"I love you, Nessie," Rosalie softly spoke into her ear.</p>
<p>"I love you too, Auntie Rose," Renesmee wept back.</p>
<p>They held for a short time. Rosalie kissed Renesmee on the forehead and then backed away from her. They briefly exchanged smiles for a moment longer and then Rosalie and Emmett streaked away into the forest.</p>
<p>Renesmee turned to look at Edward who had been standing and waiting nearby. They smiled at each other and then Edward walked over and took her into his embrace.</p>
<p>"Goodbye, Dad," Renesmee mumbled into his chest as she choked off some tears.</p>
<p>"There will never be a goodbye between us," Edward responded softly back.</p>
<p>"Okay," Renesmee agreed.</p>
<p>"I'll be back before you've had a chance to miss me," Edward softly instructed. After a brief pause, Edward added with a scowl, "Oh, and try to stay away from that wolf while I’m gone."</p>
<p>A soft growl rumbled out of Jacob.</p>
<p>"Dad," Renesmee answered back with a blush and a smile.</p>
<p>Edward moved a half step back while cupping Renesmee's head in his hands. He kissed her forward and released her from his grasp. He then looked over to Jacob who was standing at the bottom of the stairs.</p>
<p>"Jacob," Edward called out to him. "Keep an eye out around here."</p>
<p>"You know I will," Jacob answered back.</p>
<p>"See you later mutt," Edward yelled out as he backed towards the forest.</p>
<p>"I'll be here blood sucker," Jacob replied in turn.</p>
<p>Bella listened to this exchange and waited for it to end before moving to tell her own goodbyes. She turned towards Charlie and briefly exchanged stares with him.</p>
<p>"Bye, Dad," Bella whispered.</p>
<p>Charlie had no response for this. He continued to stare as his eyes began to glisten with tears. Bella filled the silence by wrapping her arms around her father's waist and hugging him. Charlie shortly followed her lead and squeezed her tightly into his chest.</p>
<p>"I'll be back, Dad. I promise," Bella softly reassured.</p>
<p>"You better, Bells," Charlie responded as they separated. "Don't think I won't come looking for you if you don't."</p>
<p>Bella exchanged smiles with Charlie before turning to Renee and exchanging embraces with her.</p>
<p>"You take care of yourself and Li'l Phil," Bella cheerfully entreated.</p>
<p>"I will baby," Renee answered back with a smile.</p>
<p>Bella then quickly stepped over and gave Jacob a surprise hug.</p>
<p>"Whew, Bella, I told you about that," Jacob complained about the smell.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry," Bella quickly apologized while backing away from Jacob. "I lost my head."</p>
<p>"That's okay, just give me a warning next time, so I can hold my breath."</p>
<p>Bella gave him a frown followed by a smile before transforming her face into a serious expression.</p>
<p>"Take care of my parents for me while I'm gone," Bella instructed sternly.</p>
<p>"I'll keep them safe Bella. Don't worry."</p>
<p>Bella gave Jacob a smile of thanks as she backed away from him and towards Renesmee. She soon turned and found her waiting. They quickly collide into one another's embrace. After a long hug, they parted and held hands.</p>
<p>"You take care of yourself, Nessie," Bella requested wistfully, "and take care of Mom, Dad and Li'l Phil for me too."</p>
<p>"Okay mom, I will," Renesmee responded in kind.</p>
<p>After a short exchange of looks, Bella directed her attention to Jacob with a nod of her head and a look out the corner of her eyes.</p>
<p>"You know there are other boys out there besides that wolf," Bella teased behind a large smile.</p>
<p>"I know, Mom," Renesmee responded with a laugh. "But how do I explain the whole vampire/human hybrid thing to someone new."</p>
<p>Bella gave her a smile as she took a moment to reflect on the question.</p>
<p>"Take it from someone who was once on the opposite side of that situation, if he loves you, it won't matter."</p>
<p>Renesmee gave her a no promises smile as Bella kissed her forehead.</p>
<p>"I love you, Baby."</p>
<p>"I love you, Momma."</p>
<p>Renesmee watched as her mother moved back to stand next to her father. They paused there briefly to look back upon her and then Bella and Edward disappeared into the black.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>THE END</strong>
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